Demarcation Pact Beneficial to Sino-Vietnamese Ties, Premier

Chinese Premier Meets visiting Vietnamese President

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Premier Zhu Rongji said Tuesday, December 26, that the agreements for the Beibu Bay demarcation and relevant fishing cooperation signed between China and Vietnam are conducive to the good neighborly and all-round cooperation between the two countries.

Zhu told visiting Vietnamese President Tran Duc Luong that the documents, which were signed "under the direct instruction of top leaders" between the two countries," fully comply with the long- term interests of the two countries and the aspirations of the two peoples."

General-Secretary of the Communist Party of China Jiang Zemin and his counterpart from the Communist Party of Vietnam Le Kha Phieu held talks last year, during which they set forth guidance for Sino-Vietnamese relations as "long-term stable, future-oriented, good-neighborly and all-round cooperation."

According to Zhu, under this instruction, the governments of the two countries "have done a lot" to implement substantial cooperation. Bilateral trade, which exceeded US$2 billion this year, was an example used by Zhu to elaborate his point.

During Luong's visit, China and Vietnam signed a joint statement for all-round cooperation in the new century. With such a document and the fruitful talks held between Jiang and Luong Monday, "We have full confidence to the opening of a new chapter of Chinese-Vietnamese relations in the new century," Zhu said.

In response, Luong said that he believed that Vietnamese-Chinese ties could score new growth in the new century. He also said that the Vietnamese Communist Party, government and people are delightful to see the full development of bilateral ties. Luong said the demarcation pact is "of long-term significance" and showed that Vietnam and China "are capable of resolving any problem through friendly consultation."

The move also "contributes to the regional peace and stability, " he added.

On economic cooperation, he hoped the two countries can explore new ways and means in new areas to further bilateral economic ties.