Vietnam state leaders yesterday witnessed the efficiency of Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao's first official visit to Vietnam which aims to strengthen economic and political ties between the two neighbors.

A flurry of one-on-one meetings between Wen and senior leaders of Vietnam have taken place since early yesterday morning, including those with Prime Minister Phan Van Khai, President Tran Duc Luong, National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Van An and General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam Nong Duc Manh.

Wen told Khai that China highly valued friendly relations with Vietnam, and urged both sides to properly deal with bilateral relations in the basic interests of both countries and peoples.

The two leaders said the enacting of the Beibu Bay Demarcation Agreement and the Beibu Bay Fishery Cooperation Agreement is a significant event in the two countries' relations, which creates conditions for building stability and peace in the Beibu Bay, and helps enhance their friendly and comprehensive ties.

The two sides expressed their desire to cooperate and jointly implement the two agreements, and satisfactorily settle new situations and issues in the early stages of their implementation, according to a Chinese Foreign Ministry source.

The Beibu Bay is a semi-enclosed sea surrounded by territories of China and Vietnam. The negotiations between the two countries on the delimitation have been going on for years. Fishermen of the two countries have enjoyed traditional cooperative relations in the Beibu Bay. The fishery arrangement is a important component of the delimitation of the Beibu Bay.

Both leaders also stated that delineating and placing markers on the land border has made a good start, and agreed to speed up the process and complete the delineation of the border on time.

After the talks, they also witnessed the signing ceremonies of eight agreements between two governments, ranging from trade and economic development to increased disease control at the border.

According to one of the agreements, China will help Vietnam build light rail networks in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.

Vietnam looks to China as a model for opening up to the world and has adopted similar economic reform policies along with promoting technology and the Internet.

During Wen's visit, both sides also expressed their wish for a faster growth of bilateral relations.

Khai said that Wen's visit would help strengthen and boost the traditional relationship and comprehensive cooperation between the two countries, particularly in the economy, trade, and investment sectors, to match the potential of both countries.

They also discussed practical cooperation in various fields and the goal of exceeding US$10 billion in bilateral trade volume by 2010.

The two premiers spent much time discussing measures to further boost economic and commercial ties between the two countries, laying a foundation for the firm development of the two sides' relations. They agreed to set up a working group to discuss the idea of building two economic corridors and an economic belt, according to an official source of Vietnam.

Last year, trade between China and Vietnam totaled US$4.6 billion, and the two nations have recorded the highest economic growth in the whole region.

Vietnam is also hoping to be admitted into the World Trade Organization next year. Asia-based analysts believe the deadline of 2005 is particularly crucial for Vietnam.

After their agreement on textile and clothing expires on January 1, 2005, WTO members will enjoy quota-free trade, which is expected to pose great challenges to non-member countries. To survive, Vietnam, whose textile and garment industry is its second largest source of exports, is pulling its socks up to maintain and develop its garment export markets.

During the talks with Nong Duc Manh, Wen noted that the Chinese Communist Party and Government are willing to work with Vietnam to cultivate the guiding principle of "long-term stability, orientation towards the future, good-neighborliness and friendship and all-round cooperation" so as to upgrade bilateral ties and ensure the two countries will be good neighbors, friends, comrades and partners forever.

Meeting ROK president

Yesterday evening, Wen held talks with President Roh Moo-hyun, discussing matters of mutual interest, including a peaceful resolution to the nuclear standoff in the Korean Peninsula.

Roh yesterday sought support from leaders of 12 Asian nations to resolve the nuclear issue peacefully.

Roh made the request while attending a pre-summit session of the biennial ASEM, which will be attended by the leaders of 39 Asian and European delegations.

(China Daily October 8, 2004)