"Vietnam's Party and State will continue to develop their consistent friendship and comprehensive cooperation with China on the basis of mutual trust," said Vietnamese Foreign Minister Nguyen Dy Nien.

During the upcoming visit of Vietnamese State President Tran Duc Luong to China, the two sides will work out key directions and specific measures to effectively develop their cooperation, especially in the fields of politics, economy, culture, science, technology, security and defense, local newspaper Vietnam News on Friday quoted Nien as saying.

They will also sign some economic and trade agreements, issue a declaration on concluding the bilateral negotiations for Vietnam to join the World Trade Organization, and discuss a series of bilateral matters, as well as regional and international issues of mutual concern, he added.

The visit, slated for July 18-22, is an evidence of the meeting tradition of high- ranking leaders of Vietnam and China, which helps boost the relations between the two parties and two states to a higher level, particularly in the fields of economics, trade and investment for the two peoples' benefit, peace, stability and cooperation in the region and the world, Nien said.

Mentioning relations between China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the foreign minister said Vietnam has helped boost China-ASEAN trade ties, contributing to the development and wealth in the region.

The trade turnover between Vietnam and China is expected to exceed 10 billion US dollars in 2010, Nien said. The turnover, which stood at 6.74 billion dollars in 2004, was more than 3.2 billion dollars, in the first quarter of this year.

Source: Xinhua