HANOI, Nov. 2 (Xinhuanet) -- China and Vietnam, as well as the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV), pledged on Wednesday to boost mutual trust and step up cooperation, said a joint statement issued during Chinese President Hu Jintao's visit.

    "The two sides agreed that it serves the fundamental interests of both China and Vietnam to enhance mutual trust, strengthen mutually beneficial cooperation and promote common development," said the statement.

    China and Vietnam have agreed to carry forward the tradition of exchanging high-level visits and to make efforts to boost cooperation in such areas as politics, economy, foreign affairs, defense, security, culture and education, it said.

    Hu, also general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, started a three-day official goodwill visit to Vietnam on Monday as guest of Nong Duc Manh, general secretary of the CPV Central Committee, and Tran Duc Luong, president of Vietnam.

    During the visit, the two sides recalled the great achievements they have made since the two countries forged diplomatic ties 55 years ago, especially after the normalization of the bilateral ties.

    "China and Vietnam are pleased with the historic achievements they have made in efforts to find a path of socialist development that best fits the actual situations of their countries," said the document.

    "China wishes and believes that the Communist Party of Vietnam and the Vietnamese people will make new strides in their great cause of building a prosperous, powerful, fair, democratic and civilized socialist country," it said.

    "Vietnam also firmly believes that the Communist Party of China and the Chinese people will make more new achievements in the construction of a socialist country with Chinese characteristics," it added.

    The statement said that "long-term stability, orientation toward the future, good neighborhood and all-round cooperation" are the guidelines for the development of relations between the two countries and the two parties in the new era.

    The statement also set it a common goal for both sides "to be everlasting good neighbors, good friends, good comrades and good partners." Enditem