Developing the Vietnam-China relations is a strategic choice and a top priority in Vietnam's foreign policy, Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh said Tuesday.

Chinh made the remarks when meeting with Chinese Ambassador to Vietnam Xiong Bo in the Vietnamese capital Hanoi.

Speaking highly of China's achievements in combating COVID-19, Chinh extended Vietnam's gratitude towards China for the multiple batches of vaccine aid, which met Vietnam's most urgent needs.

"Vietnam always upholds scientific origins-tracing of the coronavirus, and opposes politicizing either the pandemic or the origins-tracing," Chinh noted.

He called for further international cooperation in fighting COVID-19, as it is the only right choice to defeat the pandemic.

For his part, Xiong said strengthening cooperation in countering COVID-19 is a priority in the current China-Vietnam relations, and that China is willing to provide help within its power for Vietnam's efforts against the pandemic.