BEIJING - China plans to further relations with Vietnam and Thailand during the upcoming visit of Vice-President Xi Jinping to the two countries, the Foreign Ministry said Monday.

Xi will pay an official visit to Vietnam from December 20 to 22, and to Thailand from December 22 to 24, spokesman Liu Weimin said Monday at a press briefing.

In Vietnam, Xi is scheduled to meet with General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee Nguyen Phu Trong, Vietnamese President Truong Tan Sang, Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and other senior officials.

Xi will exchange views on deepening party-to-party and state-to-state?relations and important international and regional issues of common concern, Liu said.

Xi will also sign cooperative contracts with Vietnam on health, press, economy and trade, he said.

China and Vietnam have built a comprehensive strategic partnership since they established diplomatic relations 61 yeas ago, said Liu, adding that the stable development of the cooperation has brought pragmatic benefits to the two countries' people.

During Nguyen Phu Trong's visit to China in October, China and Vietnam reached an important consensus on properly coping with the South China Sea issue. The two countries reaffirmed their political will and determination to settle maritime issues through negotiations and friendly consultations, Liu said.

In Thailand, Xi will meet with Thai Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and other senior officials, and sign cooperative contracts concerning the economy, trade, and finance, Liu said.

"China and Thailand have been smoothly coordinating in international and regional affairs," the spokesman said.