China and Vietnam pledged to strengthen exchanges and deepen cooperation, said Vietnamese President Vo Van Thuong and visiting member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee Li Shulei on Thursday.

Li, also head of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee, led a CPC delegation to visit Vietnam and attend the 18th theory seminar between the CPC and the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV).

He said while meeting with Thuong that China is willing to work with Vietnam to implement the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two parties and countries, further strengthen exchanges and deepen cooperation, and promote the building of a China-Vietnam community with a shared future that carries strategic significance.

For his part, Thuong said Vietnam takes developing relations with China as a top priority and strategic choice, and is ready to strengthen exchanges at all levels with China, deepen cooperation in various fields and consolidate public support for bilateral relations.

During his visit to Vietnam, Li also met with Nguyen Xuan Thang, a member of the Politburo of the CPV Central Committee and chairman of the Central Theoretical Council, Nguyen Van Nen, a member of the Politburo of the CPV Central Committee and secretary of Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee, and Nguyen Trong Nghia, secretary of the CPV Central Committee and chairman of the Party Central Committee's Commission of Popularisation and Education.