China and Vietnam have an exceptionally good relationship. They claim to be good neighbors, good friends, good comrades and good partners.

And the openness with which they discuss this is evidence of their unusual bilateral relations.

President Hu Jintao left Beijing for Vietnam Wednesday for a two-day visit, his second tour of the country after one year.

Frequent visits by high-ranking officials have tied tightly the bonds of friendship between the two countries. Hu and other Chinese leaders hosted Vietnamese Communist Party Central Committee General Secretary Nong Duc Manh in August.

A close relationship between the ruling parties in the two countries lays a solid foundation for sound bilateral political relations.

Trade between the two neighbors, however, is not sizeable enough, compared with the sound political dimension of their relations.

The issue of trade tops Hu's ongoing Vietnam visit, which is expected to begin a new chapter in business between the two countries.

The leaders of the two countries have reached consensus on increasing trade, which should mount up along with the rising tide of political ties.

The favorable policies China has offered Vietnamese businesspeople open the market wider to the neighboring country.

China values its relations with Vietnam, taking the bilateral ties as one of its most important diplomatic arrangements.

At the commemorative summit marking the 15th anniversary of the China-ASEAN dialogue partnership late last month, Premier Wen Jiabao told his Vietnamese counterpart Nguyen Tan Dung that China is ready to work together with his country to push the good-neighborly friendship and co-operation to a new high.

Hu's visit is to that end.

For the Chinese Government, the focus of attention goes to three issues to promote co-operation.

It is necessary to start the negotiation on an inter-governmental accord on bilateral economic and trade co-operation at an early date.

The two countries need to accelerate negotiations on a memorandum of understanding on the co-operation in the regions including the Beibu Gulf and two economic zones.

Action to implement the co-operation projects already approved by the two governments is critical.

During Hu's stay in Vietnam, the two countries will visualize a future for the bilateral relations.

Their consensus on appropriately settling the border issues left by history has turned out to be a solid building block to form healthy ties. During his previous visit to Vietnam, President Hu made a commitment that the Sino-Vietnamese land border will be demarcated by 2008.

Closer co-operation between the two countries is happening and it benefits both sides.

(China Daily November 16, 2006)