Developing the Vietnam-China relations is a strategic choice and a top priority in Vietnam's foreign policy, Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh said Tuesday.

File photo: CFP

Chinh made the remarks when meeting with Chinese Ambassador to Vietnam Xiong Bo in the Vietnamese capital Hanoi.

Speaking highly of China's achievements in combating COVID-19, Chinh extended Vietnam's gratitude towards China for the multiple batches of vaccine aid, which met Vietnam's most urgent needs.

"Vietnam always upholds scientific origins-tracing of the coronavirus, and opposes politicizing either the pandemic or the origins-tracing," Chinh noted.

He called for further international cooperation in fighting COVID-19, as it is the only right choice to defeat the pandemic.

For his part, Xiong said strengthening cooperation in countering COVID-19 is a priority in the current China-Vietnam relations, and that China is willing to provide help within its power for Vietnam's efforts against the pandemic.