President Hu Jintao met his Vietnamese counterpart Tran Duc Luong in Beijing on Monday, exchanging views on areas of common interest, including border issues, before witnessing the signing of three documents, one on bilateral market access within the WTO.
Luong said frequent high-level exchanges between Vietnam and China have promoted political trust and friendly cooperation, and contributed to regional and global peace and stability.
Hu said, "We thank Vietnam for its adherence to a 'one-China' policy, and its support for China's reunification," adding that cooperation on economics and trade, education and science has also scored fruitful results.
"Vietnam will cooperate with China to finalize remaining work on land border demarcation at an early date, safeguard fishery production in Beibu Bay, and promote oil and gas exploration in the South China Sea," said Luong.
Hu proposed the promotion of closer high-level contacts, further expansion of economic and trade cooperation, "proper handling" of border issues and enhancement of non-governmental exchanges.
He also said he hoped the cooperative agreement between China, Vietnam and the Philippines on joint oil and gas exploration of the South China Sea can be realized and score tangible results at an early date.
Luong said Vietnam would like to develop its strategic partnership with China and will expand cooperation on economic and trade, energy resources, communications and other fields so as to achieve the goal of doubling bilateral trade volume by 2010.
He stressed Vietnam and China are neighbors who face the common task of economic development. China is Vietnam's largest trading partner, and enhancing cooperation conforms to the fundamental interests of both sides.
(Xinhua News Agency July 19, 2005)
