BEIJING, April 13 (Xinhua) -- A senior official of the Communist Party of China (CPC) on Wednesday called for pragmatic cooperation with Vietnam on security and law-enforcement.

"The cooperation between the departments of security and law-enforcement is an important part of the friendly relations between China and Vietnam," said Zhou Yongkang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee.

Zhou, also Secretary of the CPC Central Committee's Commission for Political and Legal Affairs, made the remarks in a meeting with visiting Vietnamese Public Security Minister Le Hong Anh.

Since 2008, China and Vietnam have held two rounds of a joint crime-fighting conference. The second joint crime-fighting conference took place in September in Beijing and resulted in a number of agreements on crime-fighting.

Zhou pledged security and law-enforcement cooperation with Vietnam to "jointly fight against crimes, sabotage illegal activities at home and abroad and better safeguard the security and interests of both countries."

China and Vietnam, both socialist countries under the leadership of the Communist Party, currently face the weighty tasks of developing their economies, improving people's lives and maintaining social stability, said Zhou.

Zhou said the two countries should, based on existing guidelines, enhance communication and strategic trust and deepen cooperation in various fields to consolidate a comprehensive, strategic partnership.

The leaders of China and Vietnam have agreed to boost ties under the guiding framework of "long-standing stability, facing the future with neighborliness, friendship and all-round cooperation," and the principles of "good neighbors, good friends, good comrades and good partners".

Zhou also conveyed Chinese President Hu Jintao's congratulations to Nguyen Phu Trong, who was elected as General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee at the 11th National Party Congress earlier this year.

Hu is also the General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee.

Anh, visiting as the guest of China's Public Security Ministry, said Vietnam gives priority to relations with neighbor China and will work with China to further boost their bilateral and traditional friendship.