Beijing (VNA) – Vietnam and China on June 1 released a joint statement on the official friendship visit to China by General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee Nong Duc Manh from May 30-June 2.

The joint statement wrote: “The two sides reached a broad common awareness of relations between the two Parties and States, as well as international and regional issues of mutual concern. The two sides agreed that the visit was of success and will surely have a profound and positive influence on deepening Vietnam-China comprehensive ties in the new stage, as well as upon peace and development in the region and the world at large.

“The two sides emphasised the path of socialist development in line with characteristics of each nation is a correct choice, meeting the fundamental interest of the two countries’ people. The Vietnamese side appreciated the great achievements China has recorded over the past 30 years of implementing the reform and open-door policy; and firmly believes that the Chinese people will surely obtain new, greater achievements in socialist construction imbued with Chinese characteristics and achieve the goal of building a comprehensive well-to-do society. The Chinese side applauded the great achievements of historical significance that Viet Nam has gained during the renewal process, strongly believes that the Vietnamese people will gain new, greater achievements in socialist construction and successfully fulfill the goal of a rich people, a strong country and a fair, democratic and civilised society.

“The Vietnamese side expressed deep sympathy and sincere regard to China for great losses in humans and poverty caused by the serious earthquake in Sichuan province and believes the fraternal Chinese people will quickly overcome the aftermath of the natural disaster and stabilise their lives. Vietnam applauded China ’s careful preparations for the 2008 Beijing Olympic and will continue to give strong support to China ’s bids to successfully organise the sports event. The Chinese side expressed sincere thanks for Vietnam ’s sentiments and support.

“The two sides expressed satisfaction at the great achievements in developing the friendly neighbourliness and comprehensive cooperation between the two Parties and States over the past years. They affirmed that the Vietnam-China friendship is a valuable asset of the Parties, the States and the people of the two countries that needs to be preserved and upheld. The two sides agreed to develop the Vietnam-China strategic and comprehensive cooperative partnership under the motto of "friendly neighbourliness, comprehensive cooperation, long-term stability, and looking towards the future” and in the spirit of "good neighbours, good friends, good comrades, good partners". The two sides are unanimous in firmly grasping the right development direction of bilateral ties to ensure long-term, stable and healthy development of the two countries’ relationship.

“The two sides agreed to continue with mutual support and assistance in areas, increase mutual comprehensive understanding, and deepen cooperation for mutual benefit, thus helping the two countries together develop, to succeed in socialist construction in each country. In the spirit of respecting the great cause and friendly, equitable, reasonable, mutual and win-win negotiations, the two sides will strictly implement the common awareness reached by leaders of the two nations, and actively cooperate in dealing with and satisfactorily setting, those issues that have been found in the two countries’ relations. The two sides pledged to increase coordination in international and regional tasks in order to promote long-lasting peace and prosperity in Asia and the world at large.

“The two sides emphasised the need to maintain the tradition of close meetings between Party and State leaders; declared to set up hotlines between Vietnamese and Chinese leaders. The two sides agreed to bring into full play the role of the Steering Committee on Vietnam-China Bilateral Cooperation, build a master plan on and comprehensively promote the two countries’ cooperation in all spheres, and build mechanisms for exchanges and cooperation between relevant Party agencies. The two sides will conduct in-depth exchanges on theoretical and practical experiences of socialism and Party building, national management; continue to well organise theoretical seminars between the two Parties; and boost cooperation in managerial training. The two sides will promote a mechanism on effective cooperation between foreign affairs, national defence, police and security sectors; expand cooperation in the fields of economy, trade, science, technology, culture and education; increase friendship exchanges between the youth, the pioneers, and other mass and people’s organisations; and jointly organise activities to increase public awareness of the friendship between the two countries’ people.

“The two sides expressed their satisfaction at the development of the two countries’ trade-economic cooperation in recent years; agreed to continue pushing implementation of the agreement on expanding and deepening bilateral economic cooperation to early discuss, sign and effectively implement the “five-year plan on trade-economic cooperation development between Vietnam and China” to define key cooperation sectors and projects, and to further lift the scale and level of trade and economic cooperation.

“The two sides agreed in the spirit of reciprocal supplement of priviledge, mutual interests and together winning, to actively seek new areas of cooperation to boost commercial growth and keep increasing two-way trade turnover; and at the same time to take practical and effective measures to improve commercial structure for a balanced development of bilateral trade.

“The two sides actively support and encourage businesses of the two countries to engage in long-term cooperation for mutual benefits in infrastructure, manufacturing, human resources development, energy, mineral ore processing and other key areas.

“The two sides will boost cooperation in such projects as the Dak Nong bauxite project, projects within the “two corridors, one economic belt” framework and other key projects.

“The two sides affirmed to foster cooperation within economic mechanisms in the region, inter-regions and the world at large.

“On this occasion, the two sides signed an agreement between the Government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and the Government of the People’s Republic of China on cooperation in flora quarantine and protection, an agreement between the two governments on animal quarantine and veterinary cooperation, and a number of other economic and commercial deals relating to China’s provision of preferential credits and preferential buyers’ loans to Vietnam.

“The two sides expressed satisfaction at basic completion of land border demarcation; agreed to tighten cooperation to solve remaining matters and accelerate work to fulfil, on schedule, the target of fully completing landmark planting along the land borderline of the two countries in 2008 and to early sign a new regulation on border management in order to build a land border of peace, friendship and cooperation between the two countries.

“The two sides will continue well implementing the “Treaty on Tonkin Gulf Demarcation” and the “Treaty on Fishery Cooperation in the Tonkin Gulf”, well conducting join examinations and investigation of aquatic products sources within the common fishing ground as well as joint patrols between the two countries’ naval forces in the Tonkin Gulf; accelerate the implementation of the “framework agreement on oil and gas cooperation in agreed zones in the Tonkin Gulf”, striving to early gain practical results in jointly exploring and exploiting oil and gas structures crossing the Tonkin Gulf delineation line; keep normal fishing operations in order, actively implement cooperation in fishing, environmental protection and search and rescue work at sea in the Tonkin Gulf.
“The two sides will continue firmly accelerating negotiations on delineation of the sea off the Tonkin Gulf , actively exchanging views on cooperation for mutual development, and early starting a joint survey of this area.

“The two sides agreed to strictly abide by related common understanding of the two countries’ leaders, keep the situation in the East Sea stable, continuously maintain negotiation mechanisms on sea issues, through peaceful negotiations, persistently seek a basic and long-lasting solution that can be accepted by the two sides while actively studying and debating cooperation issues for mutual development in order to reach proper models and sectors.

“The Vietnamese side affirmed its consistent one-China policy and its support for the major cause of China unification and resolutely rejected activities targeting an independent Taiwan in any form; Vietnam has never developed and will not develop any official relations with Taiwan. The Chinese side welcomed Vietnam’s stand.

“The two sides expressed satisfaction at the two countries’ cooperation in regional and international works. The two sides affirmed to continue fostering cooperation and coordination at multi-lateral forums such as the United Nations (UN), the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), and the China-Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), work together to maintain and boost peace, prosperity and development of the world.”