On January 18, 2010, Chinese President Hu Jintao, also general secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) Wu Bangguo and Premier Wen Jiabao exchanged congratulatory messages with General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam Nong Duc Manh, Vietnamese President Nguyen Minh Triet, Premier Nguyen Tan Dung and Chairman of the National Assembly Nguyen Phu Trong to mark the 60th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries.

In a joint message, Hu, Wu and Wen said forging diplomatic ties 60 years ago has established a milestone in the bilateral relations. Over the past 60 years, the China-Vietnam traditional friendship forged and cultivated by the older generations of the leaders of the two countries has been deeply rooted in the hearts of both peoples and been carried forward. In the 21st century, guided by the 16-word principle of "long-term stability, facing the future, good-neighborhood and friendship and all-round cooperation" and the spirit of "good neighbors, friends, comrades and partners", China-Vietnam relations have entered a new stage, and both sides have established the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership, enjoyed fruitful results in cooperation in all areas, gradually resolved border issues and maintained collaboration on international and regional affairs. At the new historical starting point, China is ready to make joint efforts with Vietnam to open up new dimensions for the good-neighborly and cooperative relations by carrying forward the traditional friendship, enhancing friendly exchanges and expanding mutually beneficial cooperation, which serves the common aspiration and fundamental interests of the two peoples and conduces to regional peace, stability and development.

In their joint message, Nong Duc Manh, Nguyen Minh Triet, Nguyen Tan Dung and Nguyen Phu Trong said the establishment of diplomatic ties 60 years ago was an important milestone in the time-honored history of exchanges. The Vietnamese people have always remembered and thanked for China’s great support and help for Vietnam’s struggle for national liberation and construction. The past 60 years of bilateral ties prove that it is in the fundamental and long-term interest of the two peoples to continuously consolidate and develop bilateral friendly cooperative relations. Vietnam always values and will fully develop the friendly and cooperative relations between the two parties, governments and peoples. The Vietnamese leaders believed that with joint efforts both sides would continuously consolidate and develop the Vietnam-China comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership, promote the prosperity of both countries and benefit both peoples.

Both sides hoped to further enhance the mutual understanding and friendship of the two peoples and write a new chapter of China-Vietnam friendship by jointly holding the China-Vietnam Friendship Year in 2010.

On the same day, State Councilor Dai Bingguo, also chairman of the Chinese side of the China-Vietnam steering committee on cooperation, and Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi exchanged congratulatory messages with Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister & Minister of Foreign Affairs Pham Gia Khiem, also chairman of the Vietnamese side of the China-Vietnam steering committee on cooperation.