China on Tuesday said it is ready to further develop its relations with Vietnam, strengthening friendship between the peoples of the two countries.

The pledge came out of a meeting between Chinese Vice Premier Hui Liangyu and a Vietnamese ethnic delegation, here for friendly exchanges.

This year marks the 60th anniversary of China-Vietnam diplomatic ties and is also "the year of friendship" between the two countries, Hui said.

He said activities held to celebrate the occasion helped strengthen the traditional friendship between the peoples of China and Vietnam.

Hui, a Political Bureau member of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said China attaches importance to the development of its ties with Vietnam.

Various departments and local governments of China and Vietnam are expected to implement the consensus of the state leaders, strengthen political mutual trust, deepen pragmatic cooperation and consolidate good neighborly relations, Hui said.

Hui also briefed the guests on China's ethnic policies and its work in this area.

Ma Van Uyen, head of the Vietnamese delegation, said friendly exchanges between Vietnam and China's ethnic groups would enhance understanding between two countries' peoples and boost bilateral ties.

At the invitation of China's State Ethnic Affairs Commission, the delegation is visiting China from Nov. 28 to Dec. 4. Besides Beijing, they will also travel to northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region and China's economic hub Shanghai.