BEIJING - Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Friday met with Deputy Prime Minister of Vietnam Nguyen Thien Nhan.

As China and Vietnam are important neighbors, it is in the fundamental interests of both countries to maintain high-level strategic communication, deepen pragmatic cooperation in all fields and properly settle differences, Li said.

The premier proposed China and Vietnam take a strategic and all-round perspective of bilateral relations, enhance political trust, expand common interests, safeguard traditional friendship and seek the better growth of bilateral relations.

According to Li, it is the common aspiration of Chinese and Vietnamese to develop bilateral friendship, which requires good conditions.

"The two sides should control and settle their differences on the South China Sea and prevent them from interfering with the development of bilateral relations and mutual cooperation," he urged.

Nguyen Thien Nhan said the party, government and people of Vietnam hailed China's remarkable achievements.

Vietnam would like to carry out the agreements, improve traditional friendship, promote trade and economic cooperation, enhance people-to-people exchanges and properly settle South China Sea tensions so as to bring bilateral relations to a new high, Nguyen said.

The deputy prime minister came to Beijing for the sixth meeting of the China-Vietnam Cooperation Steering Committee.

He and Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi are scheduled to meet on Saturday.