He spoke highly of the two countries’s recent completion of land border demarcation and marker planting and welcomed the signing of a protocol on the establishment a hotline between the top Vietnamese and Chinese leaders.

He appreciated the result of the 3^rd session of the steering committee (LINK), considering it another step towards developing the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership between the two countries. He expressed his hope that both Vietnam and China will conduct more regular exchanges of high-level visits and increase cooperation in the spirit of “good neighbours, good friends, good comrades and good partners”.  

The Party, State and people of Vietnam attach great importance to developing the relations of friendship and comprehensive cooperation with China, said Mr Manh.

For his part, Mr Dai expressed his pleasure at the positive development of bilateral ties and said his visit is to concretise the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership between the two countries.

He said he believes that under the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam, Vietnamese people will overcome difficulties and make greater achievements in national development, especially in implementing the resolutions adopted at the 10^th National Party Congress.

Mr Dai briefed his host on China’s socio-economic development and measures to ride out the current global financial storm.

Mr Manh conveyed the best regards to General Secretary and President Hu Jintao, Premier Wen Jiabao and other Chinese Party and State leaders.