On March 19, 2009, Vietnamese President Nguyen Minh Triet and Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung met respectively with visiting Chinese State Councilor Dai Bingguo in Hanoi. Both sides had an in-depth and friendly exchange of views.

During their meetings, the Vietnamese leaders first asked Dai to convey their cordial greetings to President Hu Jintao and Primer Wen Jiabao. The Vietnamese side spoke highly of the outcome of the third meeting of the China-Vietnam steering committee on cooperation. They said the Vietnamese side would like to work together with the Chinese side to implement the consensus reached at the meeting, keep closer high-level contacts, and enhance pragmatic bilateral cooperation in the economic, trade and investment sectors. Vietnam would like to work with China to cope with the international financial crisis and properly deal with and resolve the maritime issue with the spirit of comrade and brother bond, mutual respect and friendly consultation, said the Vietnamese leaders. They said that the Communist Party of Vietnam, Vietnamese government and Vietnamese people attach great importance to developing relations with China. Vietnam would like to join hands with China to advance the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership and develop the cause of the bilateral friendly cooperation.

Dai conveyed the cordial greetings and good wishes from President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao to President Nguyen Minh Triet and Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung. He said China-Vietnam relations are now at a new stage of comprehensive development. The two countries established their comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership last year, lifting bilateral ties to a new level. The outcomes of bilateral ties were fruitful last year, he said. China and Vietnam completed the work of land border demarcation and erecting border markers. It indicated that the two issues left from history including land border and Beibu Gulf have been completely resolved, said Dai. Despite the spread of the world economic and financial crisis, the trade volume between the two countries reached a record high of over 20 billion U.S. dollars last year and China, for the fifth consecutive year, became Vietnam's largest trade partner, said Dai. Economic and trade cooperation between the two countries has been strengthened continuously, he added.

Dai said China regards Vietnam as an important cooperative partner and always looks at bilateral friendly relations from a strategic and long-term perspective. China is ready to work with Vietnam to build up mutual political trust, deepen mutually beneficial cooperation, expand friendly exchanges and cope with the global challenges. Dai said that next year will mark the 60th anniversary of the establishment of China-Vietnam diplomatic relations. The two sides could take this opportunity and plan a variety of activities to promote bilateral cooperation and enhance friendship of the two people, he said.

On the same day, Dai Bingguo also laid a wreath at the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and paid respects to the remains of the late leader.