Hu Jintao (C), general secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and Chinese president, Nong Duc Manh (R), general secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam, and Vietnamese President Nguyen Minh Triet attend the opening ceremony of a website for China-Vietnam economic and trade cooperation, in Hanoi, Nov. 16, 2006.(Xinhua Photo) Photo Gallery >>>

    The first is to safeguard the general situation of Sino-Vietnamese friendship by strengthening high-level contacts and increasing political mutual trust.

    The second is to stick to equality and reciprocity for common development and prosperity by expanding economic and trade cooperation, pushing forward cooperation in big projects, strengthening multi-lateral economic cooperation such as within the World Trade organization and the building of China-ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) free trade area.

    The third is to comprehensively promote bilateral cooperation by giving full play to the cooperation mechanisms between diplomatic, defense, public security departments of the two countries, and expanding exchanges and cooperation in culture, education, science, technology, health, human resources, youth and sports.

    The fourth is to safeguard common interests and strengthen coordination and cooperation in the multi-lateral fields such as in international and regional affairs. The Chinese side supports for a bigger role of Vietnam in international and regional affairs.

    Hu noted that both sides should take into consideration of the general situation of bilateral relations, speed up their demarkation work, strengthen substantial cooperation in the Beibu Gulf, and promote common development in the South China Sea.

    Manh said Vietnam gives priority to relations with China and hopes that both sides will enhance high-level exchanges, political mutual trust, and cooperation in culture, infrastructure, electricity and chemicals, as well as bilateral cooperation in the United Nations, APEC, ASEAN+China mechanism.

    He went on to say that Vietnam will, with firm political determination, properly settle the border and territory issues with China through friendly negotiations.

    Manh said the Vietnamese side will always abide by the one-China policy and support China's reunification.