[Photo/fmprc.gov.cn]

China and Vietnam on July 13 vowed to consolidate unity and mutual trust as well as deepen mutually beneficial cooperation to contribute more to regional peace, prosperity and stability.

The pledge was made when State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi co-chaired the 14th Meeting of the China-Vietnam Steering Committee for Bilateral Cooperation with Vietnamese Standing Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh in Nanning, South China's Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region.

Wang suggested China and Vietnam strengthen cooperation under the important guidance of high-level consensus of the two parties and states and enhance exchanges of governance experience. He also called for practical, innovative and stable cooperation between the two countries.

China and Vietnam should firmly advance respective goals of development and rejuvenation, follow the path of socialism and develop friendship to safeguard shared strategic interests as well as address global challenges and changes in the regional situation, he added.

For his part, Pham said Vietnam prioritizes its relations with China in its foreign policies and bilateral relations have maintained a sound momentum of development.

Vietnam is willing to have more close high-level interactions with China, deepen strategic mutual trust and promote cooperation in various areas, he added.

The two sides agreed to strengthen alignment of development strategies and accelerate cooperation between the Belt and Road Initiative and the Two Corridors and One Economic Circle.

The two sides discussed the establishment of the mechanism to protect and promote the supply and industrial chains, strengthening of port construction and facilitation of customs clearance.

The two sides agreed to step up cooperation in multiple areas including agriculture, anti-pandemic and emerging industries.

The two sides pledged to properly handle sensitive marine issues and promote marine cooperation to achieve visual results.

They vowed to bolster unity and coordination in regional and international affairs, saying the two countries would uphold true multilateralism, practice open regionalism and stick to ASEAN-centered regional cooperation architecture.

At the end of the meeting, two sides signed cooperation documents on agriculture, marine environment and marine cooperation and a protocol on economic and technical cooperation.