On the afternoon of September 12, 2016, Premier Li Keqiang held talks at the Great Hall of the People with Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc of Viet Nam, who was paying an official visit to China.

Li Keqiang said that China and Viet Nam are neighbors and development partners linked by mountains and rivers. The Chinese side supports Viet Nam to follow a socialist path conforming to its own national characteristics and comprehensively promote its reform cause. China is willing to adhere to the policy of fostering amicable relations and partnerships with neighboring countries and the concept of amity, sincerity, mutual benefit, and inclusiveness in neighborhood diplomacy, strengthen strategic communication and high-level exchanges with Viet Nam, hold firm the right direction of developing bilateral relations, constantly deepen mutually beneficial cooperation and extend people-to-people and cultural exchanges, so as to push for a sustained, healthy and stable development of bilateral relations and bring tangible benefits to the two peoples.

Li Keqiang pointed out that the two countries boast complementary advantages in development and mutually beneficial and win-win cooperation. It is hoped that both sides could continue to, based on the general idea of developing maritime, land and financial cooperation simultaneously, promote the integration of development strategies of both countries and the whole Lancang-Mekong River sub-region and strengthen practical cooperation in infrastructure construction, production capacity, trade, investment, finance and other fields. We should well utilize people-to-people and cultural exchange mechanisms and platforms, and continuously deepen counterpart exchanges in such areas as party affairs, defense, law enforcement and security, so as to consolidate the foundation for the development of China-Viet Nam relations.

Li Keqiang stressed that the South China Sea issue involves territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests as well as concerns national sentiment. Both countries should make concerted efforts to abide by high-level consensus, safeguard maritime stability, strive to manage divergence, boost maritime cooperation and constantly accumulate consensus, so as to jointly safeguard maritime and regional peace and stability as well as create favorable conditions for the stable development of bilateral relations.

Nguyen Xuan Phuc said that friendly cooperation has always been the main trend over the past 66 years since the establishment of bilateral diplomatic relationship. The Vietnamese side will always remember China's tremendous support to its cause of national liberation and construction. It is the consistent stance of the Communist Party of Viet Nam and the Vietnamese government as well as the country's foreign policy priority to maintain traditional friendship with China and cement the steady, sustained and sound development of bilateral relations. At present, bilateral relations maintain a positive momentum of development. Viet Nam is willing to, together with China, strengthen political mutual trust, keep high-level contact, give play to inter-governmental cooperation mechanisms, deepen exchanges and practical cooperation at all levels and in all areas, carry forward the friendly tradition, expand people-to-people and cultural exchanges and reinforce coordination and cooperation in multilateral affairs. Both sides should, in the spirit of equality and mutual respect, properly resolve maritime issues in a peaceful manner, well manage differences, maintain maritime stability and conduct maritime cooperation in areas of low sensitivity to prevent maritime issues from casting a shadow over bilateral relations.

Prior to the talks, Li Keqiang held a welcoming ceremony for Nguyen Xuan Phuc at the square outside the East Gate of the Great Hall of the People. Vice Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference Ma Peihua and others were present.

After the talks, Premier Li Keqiang and Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc witnessed the signing of multiple cooperation documents in economy, trade, production capacity, infrastructure, education and other areas between the two countries.