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Viet Nam, China seek early border agreement
By Jiao Xiaoyang and Qin Jize (China Daily)
Updated: 2005-11-03 05:45
HANOI: China and Viet Nam yesterday called for speeding up border demarcation
and closer economic links.
Considerable progress has been made on the survey of land borders and the two
sides will step up efforts to complete demarcation and reach an agreement by
2008, according to a joint communique issued at the end of President Hu Jintao's
three-day visit to the country.
Chinese President
Hu Jintao shakes hands with Viet Nam National Assembly President Nguyen
Van An in Hanoi November 1, 2005. [Xinhua] |
The two sides agreed to continue normal fishing in the Beibu Bay; conduct
surveys on joint fishery resources, and oil and gas exploration; and try to
start joint navy patrols in the area.
They will start talks as early as possible on sea-border demarcation as well
as joint exploration in areas beyond the Beibu Bay, according to the communique,
which affirmed growing mutual trust between the two neighbours.
Hu held talks with top Vietnamese leaders, attended the signing of a host of
co-operative agreements, and delivered a speech to the National Assembly the
first foreign leader to do so. He returned to Beijing yesterday.
President Hu's visit is conducive to handling the common concerns of both
sides; promoting regional co-operation; and enhancing peace, stability and
prosperity in the region as well globally, Wang Jiarui, head of the
International Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, told
reporters yesterday.
He said Hu's successful visit solidified the traditional friendship between
China and Viet Nam and expanded their channels of co-operation.
The communique reaffirmed China's "firm support" for Viet Nam's bid for the
World Trade Organization membership, and called for working towards US$10
billion annual bilateral trade volume before 2010.
"Viet Nam is opening its doors to the world and China is one of its major
business partners, considering the two countries' geographic and cultural
proximity," said Su Hao, a researcher in East Asian affairs at China Foreign
Affairs University.
"Viet Nam is, in a way, following China's path of market-oriented reform, its
economic structure is complementary with China's, and there are a lot of things
the two countries can work together," said Su.
A number of documents were signed during Hu's visit. They included a
framework agreement for China to grant Viet Nam 550 million yuan (US$67 million)
in preferential credit to modernize the signal system of the Vinh-Ho Chi Minh
City Railway, and one between Electricity Viet Nam and China Southern Grid
Corporation for the sale of power to six northern Viet Nam cities.
(China Daily 11/03/2005 page1)
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