Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji and Vietnamese Prime Minister Phan Van Khai, during their meeting in Singapore November 25, agreed that the negotiations on the demarcation of the Beibu Gulf between China and Vietnam should be accelerated and completed within this year.
Zhu said at the meeting that an important task that requires the joint efforts of both sides to accomplish at the present is an early conclusion of all the substantial negotiations on the demarcation issue of the Beibu Gulf and the arrangements on fishing, so as to achieve the goal of inking the demarcation and fishing agreements within this year as scheduled.
Phan, on his part, said that the Vietnamese side agrees to accelerate the process of negotiation and finish the demarcation of the Beibu Gulf, including the signing of the fishing agreement, within this year. He also expressed his belief that with the settlement of the demarcation issue of the Beibu Gulf, the relationship between the two countries will experience greater and faster development in the new century.
On the broader bilateral relations, Zhu said that the Sino-Vietnamese relations have been developing smoothly and China attaches great importance to Vietnamese President Tran Duc Luong's coming visit to China.
He also said that Chinese President Jiang Zemin is looking forward to meeting with Tran Duc Luong and exchange views with him on how to further enhancing Sino-Vietnamese relations in the new century and on other issues of common concern.
Zhu told his Vietnamese counterpart that he was pleased to know that trade between the two countries is likely to reach US$2 billion this year and key cooperation projects are going smoothly. "We are eager to join efforts with the Vietnamese side to do more to consolidate the bilateral relations," Zhu said.
Phan Van Khai expressed his satisfaction with the sound development of Vietnam-China relations and shared Zhu's ideas on deepening bilateral economic and trade cooperation.
General Secretary of Jiang Zemin of the Chinese Communist Party and General Secretary Le Kha Phieu of the Vietnamese Communist Party have reached an important consensus on building a long-term stable and 21st century-oriented relations between the two countries, he said. On the basis of the consensus, Phan believes that the visit by President Tran Duc Luong will certainly further advance the Vietnam-China relations.
(People’s Daily 11/26/2000)
