Vietnamese Standing Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Sinh Hung said here on Thursday that the state news agencies of Vietnam and China should deepen cooperation to further promote bilateral friendly relations.

Hung, who is also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee, made the remarks when receiving a delegation from China's state news agency Xinhua News Agency.

The Xinhua delegation, headed by Zhang Xiaohua, Standing Deputy General Manger of Xinhua, is in Hanoi for a photo exhibition marking the 60 years of diplomatic relations between China and Vietnam. The exhibition is jointly organized by Xinhua News Agency and Vietnam News Agency.

Hung said Vietnam and China have been friends for a long time. Bilateral relations have entered a new stage for development. In the past six decades, Vietnam News Agency and Xinhua News Agency have maintained good cooperation and played an important role in consolidating Vietnam-China friendship.

The photo exhibition, jointly organized by the two agencies, marked the beginning of a series of activities to celebrate the Vietnam-China's Year of Friendship, said Hung.

Hung expected the two agencies could enhance pragmatic cooperation in information exchange, digital media, human resources and telecommunication technology.

Zhang said Xinhua News Agency and Vietnam News Agency have worked hard to promote friendship between the two countries. The two agencies have shared experiences with each other to make positive contribution to the social and economic development of their respective countries.

Zhang said Xinhua would continue to enhance friendly exchanges and cooperation with Vietnam News Agency and other Vietnamese media.