BEIJING, Feb. 13 -- Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi and Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh spoke over phone on Friday and agreed to make concerted efforts for further improving bilateral ties.

China-Vietnam relations now face an important opportunity for improvement and development as this year marks the 65th anniversary of the establishment of the two countries' diplomatic relationship, Yang said.

He spoke of a recent telephone conversation between Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, and his Vietnamese counterpart, Nguyen Phu Trong.

During the phone talks, a general scheme for developing the China-Vietnam comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership in the next stage was mapped out from a strategic and overall perspective, said the Chinese state councilor.

Yang added that in order to earnestly comprehend and implement the important consensus reached by the two general secretaries, the China-Vietnam Steering Committee on Cooperation should maintain close communication and strengthen coordination.

He also called on the committee to make good preparations for bilateral high-level exchanges, plan and carry out cooperation in various fields, and properly handle maritime issues, so as to promote further improvement and development of China-Vietnam relations in the new year.

Minh, who is also Vietnam's foreign minister, said the two general secretaries' conversation is of great significance to developing relations between the Communist Parties of Vietnam and China and between the two countries.

Vietnam is willing to work with China to make a concrete plan for bilateral cooperation in various fields in line with the consensus reached by the two general secretaries, enhance high-level exchanges, boost practical cooperation and people-to-people exchanges, and jointly safeguard maritime peace and stability, he said.