By joining hands and strengthening cooperation countries can effect a meaningful sea change

President Xi Jinping's two-day visit to Vietnam, starting on Monday, is the first stop on his three-nation trip to Southeast Asia and his second visit to the country in less than 18 months. It reflects the smooth communication and coordination between the two neighbors that has injected strong momentum into their comprehensive cooperation.

Thanks to their strong traditional friendship and the strategic significance Beijing and Hanoi have attached to developing bilateral ties, Sino-Vietnamese cooperation has flourished in many fields, bringing tangible benefits to the two peoples.

This has been made possible because the two countries, both treading the path of reform and modernization, view the development of each other as an opportunity and have not let their differences overshadow the larger picture of good neighborly ties. And with their economies highly complementary, there are bright prospects in expanding their cooperation.