Vietnam, China to work for closer parliamentary ties

Vietnam and China will strengthen exchanges of parliamentary delegations to share experience and step up the overall relations between the two countries, Vietnamese Vice Chairman of the National Assembly said on Monday.

He made the statement when receiving the visiting Chinese Vice Chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC)'s Foreign Affairs Committee -- Li Chongmin.

"More and more delegations from the Vietnamese people and the assembly are visiting China to learn things and exchange experience," Duoc said, expressing his thanks for Chinese assistance in helping Vietnam in various fields, including industry and culture.

Li said the parliaments of China and Vietnam should beef up their good ties so that the ties will be as rich as the relations between people and parties of the two countries, adding that the top legislative bodies should frequently visit each other as if they were in the same house.

"The NPC will send a high-ranking delegation to attend the 13th annual meeting of the Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum to be held in Vietnam in January 2005," he noted.

Li visited Vietnam at the invitation of the Vietnamese Vice Chairman of the National Assembly's Foreign Relations Committee, Ngo Anh Dung, to attend a seminar relating to the forum's meeting, which took place in Vietnam's northern Ha Long city on Nov. 20-21.