BEIJING - Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Thursday held a phone conversation with Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on bilateral ties and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).

In the phone call, in which the two leaders exchanged New Year greetings, Li said that China and Vietnam are connected by mountains and rivers and share extensive common interests.

During the past year, Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Chinese president, had multiple phone conversations with Vietnamese party and state leaders, which have strengthened strategic mutual trust and prompted the steady and sound development of bilateral relations, Li said.

In the new year, Li said, China stands ready to strengthen strategic communication with Vietnam, deepen exchanges in various fields, continue to carry out cooperation on epidemic control and prevention, properly manage differences, so as to push forward the China-Vietnam comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership.

Economic and trade cooperation is an important area of bilateral cooperation, and bilateral trade has made great progress during the previous year, Li said, noting that China is willing to provide more customs clearance convenience for Vietnam's high-quality agricultural products.

The entry into force of the RCEP agreement at the beginning of this year will help promote the free flow of regional economic factors, enhance the expansion and upgrading of trade and investment, and maintain the security and stability of industrial and supply chains, Li said.

China stands ready to work with Vietnam and other RCEP members to push for the effective implementation of the agreement, promote the regional economic integration to a higher level and bring more benefits to the people in the region.

For his part, the Vietnamese prime minister congratulated China on the successful realization of its first centenary goal, saying that China is a special partner of Vietnam and promoting all-round and in-depth development of Vietnam-China relations is Vietnam's diplomatic priority.

Vietnam firmly adheres to the one-China policy, and supports China's strong development, he said, adding that his country also supports China in playing a bigger role in regional and international affairs, as well as successfully hosting the Beijing Winter Olympics.

Vietnam is ready to work with China to boost strategic communication and political mutual trust between the two parties and two countries, improve the quality of cooperation in various fields, carry out close and effective cooperation on epidemic prevention and control, enhance the efficiency of customs clearance at border ports, strengthen coordination and cooperation in multilateral areas, properly handle differences and further deepen bilateral relations, he added.