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)