HANOI, Aug. 10 -- Amid complicated situation in the region and the world, China and Vietnam should strengthen solidarity, expand cooperation and promote bilateral military ties, said a high-ranking Chinese military official here on Monday.

Sun Jianguo, deputy chief of the General Staff of the Chinese People's Liberation Army, made the statement when he co-chaired the eighth defense and security consultation between Chinese and Vietnamese ministries of defense with Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Defense Nguyen Chi Vinh here on Monday.

The consensus reached by Chinese President Xi Jinping and the General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Nguyen Phu Trong during the latter's visit to China in April mapped out the direction for bilateral cooperation in the future, Sun said during the consultation.

China attaches great importance to the relationship between the two armies, and will join hands with Vietnam in maintaining exchanges of high-ranking visits, enhance pragmatic cooperation, strengthen border exchanges, deepen multilateral security cooperation, properly manage differences, promote bilateral military ties and step up efforts for the benefit of the two peoples and for peace and stability in the region, claimed Sun.

Vinh, for his part, said that as the two countries are friendly neighbors, Vietnam highly appreciates the ties with China and is willing to work with China in implementing new guidelines in bilateral relations set up by leaders of the two sides.

The two sides will continue to promote mutual political trust, strengthen unity and friendship, as well as boost pragmatic cooperation for socio-economic development of the two countries and for the interests of the two peoples, Vinh added.

During the consultation, both sides exchanged views on regional and international issues, bilateral relations and issues of common concern, while reaching consensus on issues of bilateral military cooperation and exchanges.

Later on Monday, Sun held talks with Vietnamese Defense Minister Phung Quang Thanh.