Chinese President Xi Jinping will pay a state visit to Vietnam from December 12 to 13, at the invitation of General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee Nguyen Phu Trong and Vietnamese President Vo Van Thuong, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying announced on Thursday.

During his visit, Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, will hold talks with Trong and Thuong, respectively. They will discuss the elevation of China-Vietnam relations and also issues on politics, security, cooperation, public opinion, multilateralism and maritime problems to push for deeper and more solid comprehensive strategic cooperation between the two countries, said Wang Wenbin, a spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, at a regular press briefing in Beijing.

This will help the two countries jointly pursue modernization paths with their own characteristics, enrich the path of modernization for developing countries and bring more benefits to the two peoples, Wang added.

In October last year, Trong visited China at the invitation of Xi Jinping following the 20th CPC National Congress, during which they charted a new course for bilateral ties.

Noting both China and Vietnam are socialist countries and are promoting reforms and innovations in line with their respective national conditions, Wang said strengthening solidarity and friendship and deepening mutually beneficial cooperation are in the common interest of both sides and conducive to the maintenance of peace, stability and prosperity in the region and the rest of the world.

(Cover: A view of Hanoi, the capital city of Vietnam. /CFP)