BEIJING -- The Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) on Thursday congratulated the opening of the 12th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV).

In a message sent to the CPV Central Committee, the CPC Central Committee said that the 12th National Congress of the CPV is an important meeting as Vietnam's cause of innovation enters a crucial phase, and it is a significant event in the political life of Vietnam's party and people.

The CPC Central Committee believed that the Vietnamese people, under the staunch leadership of the CPV, will smoothly achieve their set targets, and build Vietnam into a strong and civilized socialist country with democracy, fairness and people living in prosperity.

The traditional friendship between China and Vietnam was jointly created by late Chinese leader Mao Zedong and late Vietnamese leader Ho Chi Minh, as well as other revolutionists of the old generation of the two countries, and it is the valuable wealth of the two parties, two countries and two peoples, according to the message.

The Chinese party and government highly value the development of China-Vietnam relations and are willing to work together with the Vietnamese side to advance the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and Vietnam to a new stage, it added.

The opening ceremony of the 12th National Congress of the CPV was held in Hanoi, capital of Vietnam, on Thursday morning. As many as 1,510 delegates representing over 4.5 million CPV members attended the congress, which is scheduled to last till Jan. 28. Enditem