The 1999 land border agreement and the Beibu Bay demarcation and fishing agreements Viet Nam and China will sign form "a solid foundation" for all-round development of bilateral relations in the new century, said Vietnamese President Tran Duc Luong Monday, December 25.
Luong made the remark at a meeting with Chinese President Jiang Zemin.
After the meeting, the two countries signed the demarcation agreement on the Beibu Bay territorial sea, the exclusive economic zone and continental shelves, as well as an inter-governmental pact on fishing cooperation in the bay. All these are important results achieved under the care of top leaders of the two countries about the development of bilateral relations, he said.
Both Viet Nam and China adhere to the road of socialism and the leadership of the communist parties. They also need a peaceful international environment for development. These are the favorable conditions for developing all-round cooperation between the two countries, he said.
Luong said that Viet Nam wishes to further increase the mutually beneficial cooperation with China in trade and the economy, and to push forward the cooperative ties to a new level.
The Vietnamese side is also willing to enhance mutual support and cooperation with China in international affairs and make contribution to promoting the relations between China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
Luong praised China's rapid economic growth and the great improvement in its international standing gained since China launched the reform and opening-up drive. He said the Vietnamese government and people will never forget the valuable support and selfless assistance given by China during their struggle for national liberation and socialist construction.
The two countries have celebrated the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties and bilateral relations are now in a sound stage of development, he said.
(People’s Daily 12/26/2000)
