General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong with functional forces at Huu Nghi International Border Gate. Photo: Tri Dung/VNA

Accompanying General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong were Politburo members: Minister of Public Security - General To Lam and Minister of National Defense - General Phan Van Giang; Party Central Committee Secretaries: Chief of the Party Central Committee Office Le Minh Hung, Chairman of the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Do Van Chien, Deputy Prime Minister Le Minh Khai; also attending were leaders of central departments, ministries, branches and key leaders of Lang Son province.

Also attending the event was Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People's Republic of China to Vietnam Hung Ba.

General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong with the functional forces of Huu Nghi international border gate. Photo: Tri Dung/VNA

Talking with Chinese Ambassador to Vietnam Hung Ba and representatives of units and functional forces at the Friendship International Border Gate, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong emphasized that in the world, there is only one border area here with a border gate that Vietnam named Friendship and China also agreed to name it "Friendship Pass".

The name “Friendship” represents the long-standing traditional friendship between the people of Vietnam and China, “both comrades and brothers”. Vietnam always attaches importance to and gives top priority to building and developing good relations with the Party, State and people of China.

General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People's Republic of China Xiong Ba at the Friendship International Border Gate. Photo: Tri Dung/VNA

General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong highly appreciated the efforts of the Party Committee, the government of Lang Son province and the functional forces at Huu Nghi International Border Gate in working with China to promote the friendly and cooperative relations between localities of the two countries, including the management and construction of a peaceful, cooperative and developing border.

The General Secretary suggested that Lang Son province and Huu Nghi International Border Gate continue to promote the achieved results, make more positive contributions, and contribute to the further development of Vietnam-China cooperation relations.

For units and forces working at Huu Nghi International Border Gate, the General Secretary noted that it is necessary to focus on maintaining effective cooperative relations with functional forces of Chinese localities, contributing to building a peaceful, friendly, stable, cooperative and developing border.

General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong with functional forces at Huu Nghi International Border Gate. Photo: Tri Dung/VNA

On this occasion, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong kindly visited, encouraged and presented gifts to units and functional forces on duty at Huu Nghi International Border Gate.

General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and the delegation planted a commemorative tree at the border gate. Chinese Ambassador to Vietnam Hung Ba also attended the event.

General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong presents gifts to functional forces at Huu Nghi international border gate. Photo: Tri Dung/VNA

Huu Nghi International Border Gate - located on National Highway 1A, 17 km north of Lang Son city, 171 km northeast of Hanoi, is where immigration and exit activities between Vietnam and China take place. This is a strategic location, a key point in foreign affairs, defense, security, and a very important gateway to the country.

At Huu Nghi International Border Gate, there is milestone 1116 with the National Emblem of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam attached. This is the starting point of National Highway 1A connecting Lang Son with Ca Mau Cape.

The border gate is an important location in the economic corridor, contributing to promoting economic development between Vietnam and China and countries in the ASEAN region.

The main corridor includes: Nanning - Lang Son - Hanoi - Hai Phong according to the agreement between the senior leaders of the two countries.