General Secretary Manh together with Hu Jintao, General Secretary of the Communist Party of China and President of China, accompanied the two countries' youths at their annual friendship meeting.

In his speech, the Vietnamese leader extended the warmest greetings to the representatives of the two countries' younger generations.

Manh said the Vietnamese people will bear forever in their mind the whole-hearted and valuable assistance given by the Chinese Party and people to Viet Nam in the past struggle for national independence, as well as in building and safeguarding the socialist country at present.

He pointed out that President Ho Chi Minh of Viet Nam, President Mao Zedong of China and generations of the two countries' leaders have fostered those friendly and cooperative ties, Manh noted.

He further said that the relationship is invaluable property that should be respected, preserved, inherited and developed by present and future generations.

The Vietnamese Party, State and people have always highly valued the leading role of the youth and the great contributions they have made to all revolutionary stages.

The two countries' youths have matured in association, with the destiny and future of the two nations in mind, Manh said. In a changing world, which offers both advantages and challenges, the mission of the younger generations of the two countries is heavy but noble, and requires them to be politically firm, and acquire advanced knowledge so as to successfully build socialism in the two countries, the Vietnamese Party chief said.

He noted that cooperation and exchange activities between the two countries' youths will create opportunities for the younger generations of the two countries to share each other's valuable experiences.

Manh suggested the youth unions of the two countries to continue holding exchange activities in diverse forms, in order to attract the participation of an increasing number of young people from different sectors and localities. Those activities will help improve mutual understanding and trust, and promote friendship between the two countries, he added.

Manh said he hoped that relevant agencies of the two countries, so they are able to will create all favourable conditions for the youths of the two countries, so they are able to fulfill their tasks, contributing to lifting Viet Nam-China ties to an unprecedented height.

Addressing the meeting, President Hu Jintao expressed his pleasure to see Chinese and Vietnamese youths upholding the tradition and continuing to develop the friendly and cooperative ties between the two countries.

He stressed that the Parties and States of China and Viet Nam pin their futures and hopes to the younger generations of the two countries.

Hu Jintao said the Party and State of China have always attached importance to and strongly supported friendship meeting between Sino-Vietnamese youths, and consider it an active and vivid contribution to further developing the Sino-Vietnamese friendship, which was established by President Mao Zedong and President Ho Chi Minh and has been fostered by many generations of the two countries.

Hu Jintao said he hoped that the youths of China and Viet Nam will continue to boost experience sharing, thus making further contributions to their respective countries' revolutionary causes, and writing new glorious pages on the two countries' ever-green friendship./.