HANOI, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- The Vietnamese government and people hope to promote friendship and strengthen mutual trust with the Chinese government and people, Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has said.
Phuc made the remarks here Monday in an interview with Chinese media ahead of his official visit to China from September 10 to 15 at the invitation of Chinese Premier Li Keqiang.
Phuc will also attend the 13th China-ASEAN (the Association of Southeast Asian Nations) Expo, which will be held from September 11 to 14 in the city of Nanning, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.
Phuc was re-elected as prime minister in July this year.
During his visit, Chinese leaders will meet Phuc and hold talks with him, exchanging views on bilateral ties and issues of common concern, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said on Monday.
"I am very happy to visit China for the first time after I was elected as Prime Minister," Phuc said, noting that Vietnam and China are close neighbors with a long history of friendship.
Highlighting the importance of people to people exchanges between the two countries, Phuc called for further promoting bilateral traditional friendship and cooperation so as to boost comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership between the two countries.
With regard to the 13th China-ASEAN Expo (CAEXPO), Phuc said Vietnam has always paid high attention to CAEXPO since its first participation in 2004, adding that CAEXPO has played a significant role in Vietnam-China relations.
CAEXPO, acting as an important platform for exchanges between China and ASEAN member countries, has contributed a lot to the China-ASEAN strategic partnership, according to Phuc.
The Vietnamese prime minister also said his country hopes and stands ready to enhance friendly exchanges and deepen cooperation in economy, trade and investment with other ASEAN member states as well as China via the 13th CAEXPO.
