Wen vows to strengthen ties with Vietnam

SINGAPORE—Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao said on Monday China and Vietnam are major partners for cooperation and pledged China’s efforts to further strengthen ties with Vietnam.
China is willing to promote bilateral relations with Vietnam, guided by the principles of long-term stability, orientation toward future, good neighborliness and all-round cooperation, Wen said while meeting Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung. The economic and trade relations between the two countries have been developing smoothly, Wen said. China and Vietnam should explore possibilities for cooperation projects in two economic corridors and one economic belt in the region, he said.
The two corridors link southwestern China and Vietnam and the economic belt is located around the Beibu Bay. The two countries should also promote cooperation in industry, infrastructures and energy, Wen added. On territorial issues, Wen expressed hope that the two sides will speed up the demarcation of terrestrial border and solve the South China Sea issue under the principle of joint exploitation while putting aside the differences.
Dung said Vietnam and China have witnessed comprehensive growth of bilateral ties in recent years with frequent high-level exchanges and fruitful economic and trade cooperation.
Vietnam agreed with China on furthering bilateral relations and hoped to boost infrastructure in the two economic corridors and the economic belt, Dung said.
Vietnam is ready to develop bilateral cooperation on platforms such as the annual fair between China and the Association of the Southeast Asian Nations, he added.
Vietnam will work with China to complete the demarcation of terrestrial border in 2008 as scheduled and solve the maritime issue through consultation, Dung said.—Xinhua