ANKARA

Chinese President Xi Jinping and his visiting Vietnamese counterpart To Lam held talks in Beijing on Monday, focusing on bilateral relations, as well as economic, strategic, and security cooperation, state media reported.

Xi said China prioritizes Vietnam in its "neighborhood" diplomacy due to the two countries' rapid economic development and long-term social stability, the Beijing-based Xinhua news agency reported.

The Vietnamese president arrived in Beijing on Sunday on a three-day visit. This is his first overseas visit since being elevated to the nation's top position, the general secretary of the ruling Communist Party, earlier this month.

At the “critical” stage of national development and revitalization, Xi said the two countries should consolidate the development pattern, featuring “higher political mutual trust, more solid security cooperation, deeper practical cooperation, stronger public support, closer multilateral coordination and cooperation, and better management and resolution of differences.”

China, he added, is ready to maintain “close” strategic communication and high-level exchanges with Vietnam, firmly adhere to mutual support, and actively explore ways to expand synergy between the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and the Two Corridors and One Economic Circle strategy.

Also, he went on to say that Beijing is keen to accelerate the "hard connectivity" of railway, expressway and port infrastructure, enhance the "soft connectivity" of smart customs, and jointly build a secure and stable industrial and supply chain between the two allies.

China is willing to deepen the exchange of experience in party and state governance with Vietnam, upgrade the national governance system and capacity jointly, and march toward modernization together, he added.

The Vietnamese leader expressed “deep” gratitude to his Chinese counterpart and the Chinese people for their warm reception, which “vividly reflected the comradeship and fraternity between the two nations.”

He said he wants to work “closely” with the Chinese leadership to continue “fostering the friendship and jointly promote the Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership and the Vietnam-China community of shared future with strategic significance.”​​​​​​​