China, Vietnam seek ways to improve bilateral relations

General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee Nguyen Phu Trong will pay an official visit to the People's Republic of China from October 11-15, at the invitation of his Chinese counterpart Hu Jintao, who is also Chinese President. The visit will play a significant role in improving bilateral relations and also be regarded as a positive step for both sides to solve disputes through negotiations. During his recent reception in Hanoi to new Chinese Ambassador to Vietnam, Kong Xuanyou, Trong said Vietnam consistently attaches importance to strengthening and developing the traditional friendship and comprehensive cooperation with China. The lifting of bilateral relations to the level of comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership has created a firm foundation and momentum for the development of Vietnam-China relationship in the future. Over the years, cooperation between Vietnam and China has achieved remarkable results, especially in trade and investment, with two-way trade turnover increasing year by year. In the first eight months of 2011, it rose by 35 percent as compared with the same period last year to 25 billion U.S. dollars, and is expected to reach 40 billion U.S. dollars by the year end, said Kong. In his latest reception to Kong, Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung also confirmed that Vietnam and China have embraced good traditions and their relations have been fostered by leaders of the two countries and become invaluable treasure of the two peoples. The Vietnamese people always keep in their mind the valuable assistance that the Chinese people have reserved for them in the fight for national liberation in the past as well as in construction and economic development at present, Dung said. Dung also emphasized that Vietnam wants to join China in further developing bilateral relations in both width and depth, and with efficiency, for the interest of the two peoples and for the development of the two countries. In early September, the Vietnam-China Joint Steering Committee on Bilateral Cooperation held its 5th session in capital Hanoi, during which both sides reviewed cooperation in the past year and discussed measures to further promote it, contributing to the development of Vietnam-China comprehensive partnership. Chinese State Councilor Dai Bingguo co-chaired the meeting with Vietnamese Deputy Minister Nguyen Thien Nhan. During his stay in Vietnam, he was received respectively by Vietnamese Party and State leaders, during which he confirmed that China is pursuing the consistent policy of cementing and deepening the relations with Vietnam. Dai said China-Vietnam bilateral relations witness comprehensive and profound development during the past two decades through joint efforts, which serves the interests of both peoples and regional peace, stability and prosperity. To promote China-Vietnam relations on the right track, both sides should consolidate traditional friendship, deepen mutually beneficial cooperation and cultural exchanges, enhance mutual understanding, as well as attach great importance to properly handling sensitive issues in bilateral relations, he added.