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China-Vietnam friendly ties on fast-growing pace

   HANOI, Nov. 12 (Xinhua) -- General Secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee (CPCCC) and Chinese President Hu Jintao will pay a state visit to Vietnam on Nov. 15-17 to further enhance the friendship ties between the two Asian nations.

    Hu's visit, at the invitation of General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee (CPVCC) Nong Duc Manhand Vietnamese State President Nguyen Minh Triet, will be another important political event for the two countries following the reciprocal visits by the heads of the two states in 2005, and the visit to China by Manh in August.

    The upcoming visit will be of great significance and exert far-reaching influences on pushing ahead relations between the two neighboring countries, said Cui Tiankai, Chinese assistant foreign minister, last Tuesday at a news conference on Hu's visit.

    China and Vietnam have shared mountains and rivers, and the twopeoples have the long-term friendship. Bilateral ties have been consolidated and developed over the past decades.

    Leaders of the two countries, since the turning of the new century, have identified the principle of "friendly neighborliness, comprehensive cooperation, long-term stability, future orientation," and the four-good spirit -- good neighbors, good friends, good comrades and good partners -- in their relationship development, increasing mutual trust for the China-Vietnam traditional friendship.

    The mutual support and all-round cooperation between the two countries for the mutual benefit and development have become a hallmark in the new model of bilateral ties in the new century, driving the relations between the two parties and two countries to a new stage of comprehensive cooperation.

    In recent years, China and Vietnam have seen remarkable closer ties.

    First, the frequent reciprocal visits of the two countries' leaders, in which they have reached common awareness, have unceasingly enriched the friendly ties and created springboards for their stable cooperation.

    The prime ministers of the two countries exchanged visits in 2004, and the heads of the two states did so in 2005. In August, Manh paid an official visit to China, which was his first overseas trip since he was reelected the post in April.

    During the talks between the two general secretaries, the two sides reached consensuses on such important issues as inheriting and bringing into full play the China-Vietnam traditional friendship, increasing mutual trust, enhancing cooperation for mutual benefit and development. They also identified development orientations for the two nation's future cooperation.

    Second, the smooth progress has been achieved in dealing with issues left by the history such as those on border and territory. Their land border demarcation work is expected to be completed in 2008, and the Beibu Bay Demarcation Agreement and the Beibu Bay Fishery Cooperation Agreement are actively implemented.

    The two countries have held exchanging activities among youths for five times, contributing to increasing their mutual understanding and belief, creating conditions for the two countries' development.

    Third, the two countries have broadened trade cooperation and increased their trade turnovers. The two-way trade gained 6.74 billion U.S. dollars in 2004, up 45.3 percent from 2003, making China Vietnam's biggest trade partner.

    The two sides, which posted trade of over 8 billion dollars in 2005 and 4.6 billion dollars in the first six months of 2006, are expected to reach the trade target of 10 billion dollars ahead of schedule of 2010 set by the two countries' prime ministers. China now ranks the 15th among countries and regions pouring investment into Vietnam.

    Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao held talks with his Vietnamese counterpart Nguyen Tan Dung late last month when they attended a summit commemorating the 15th anniversary of the dialogue partnership between China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in Nanning, capital of China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. This helps beef up the close ties between the two countries and their common awareness about trade cooperation, an important pillar in their relations.

    Chinese President Hu Jintao's upcoming visit will surely further boost the Vietnam-China good neighborly relations, ushering in a new era in the history of ties between the two parties and two countries, Vietnamese party leader Manh said Saturday.