China's top legislator Wu Bangguo on Monday said China and
Vietnam should tackle boundary issue appropriately in a bid to
maintain stability in the South China Sea.
"The two countries should enhance political mutual trust,
appropriately deal with the boundary issue and implement related
agreements," said Wu Bangguo, chairman of the Standing Committee of
the National People's Congress (NPC), China's top legislature.
Wu made the remarks in talks with Chairman of the National
Assembly of Vietnam Nguyen Phu Trong, who pays an official
good-will visit to China from April 8 to 15.
As part of the solution to the boundary issue, China's top
legislature in February ratified a treaty defining the point where
the national borders of China, Vietnam and Laos meet.
The treaty, which was signed last October by the foreign
ministries of the three countries, says the tri-border junction
lies on the Shiceng Dashan Mountain.
Wu also suggested the two neighbors deepen pragmatic
cooperation, particularly on block trading and big projects.
The total trade volume between Vietnam and China hit almost
US$10 billion in 2006, up 21.4 percent from the previous year.
"China and Vietnam, having same social system, similar political
system and identical strategic interests, both are at the stage of
economic transformation and facing the task of democratic and legal
construction," said Wu.
"That provides big potentials for parliamentary exchanges
between the two countries," Wu added, hoping the two parliaments
could further exchanges on legislation and supervision.
Under current complex and volatile international situations, to
cement China-Vietnam friendship complies with the fundamental
interests of both countries and is the common aspiration of the two
peoples, said Wu.
Nguyen said the National Assembly of Vietnam is ready to enhance
friendly cooperation with the NPC and learn from China on
legislation and supervision to promote Vietnam-China relations.
(Xinhua News Agency April 10, 2007)
