China and Vietnam on Thursday vowed to further enhance parliamentary exchanges to facilitate bilateral traditional friendship.

 

While meeting with Vietnamese President Nguyen Minh Triet in Beijing, China's top legislator Wu Bangguo said the increasing parliamentary exchanges between the two countries are expected to blow fresh air into bilateral ties.

 

"China's National People's Congress (NPC) values relations with the Vietnamese parliament," said Wu, chairman of the NPC Standing Committee.

 

Wu urged deepening cooperation between special committees and friendship groups of the two parliaments, and exchange of experience on democratic and legal construction.

 

Wu said the two countries have carried out pragmatic cooperation in areas like trade, science and technology, education, culture and tourism.

 

Triet arrived Tuesday in Kunming, capital of southwest China's Yunnan Province, to start a four-day state visit to China. It is Triet's first visit to China since he took office in June 2006.

 

Triet said his visit is aimed at consolidating relations between the two countries and parties and deepening pragmatic cooperation in various fields.

 

The Vietnamese president also reiterated Vietnam's consistent adherence to one-China policy.

 

(Xinhua News Agency May 18, 2007)