Chinese President Hu Jintao (L) and his visiting Vietnamese counterpart Tran Duc Luong review a guard of honor during a welcoming ceremony in Beijing, July 18, 2005.

Boundaries, both land and sea, were of concern when President Hu Jintao met Vietnamese President Tran Duc Luong in Beijing on July 18.

The leaders vowed to speed up the survey and setting of the land boundary, and reaffirmed their desire to see results from joint exploration of disputed areas in the South China Sea.

Hu and Luong also agreed to maintain normal fisheries co-operation in the Beibu Bay in an effort to build the China-Viet Nam border into one of peace, friendship and long-lasting stability.

Hu said the land border issue between China and Viet Nam and demarcation in the Beibu Bay, were issues left over from history that were gradually being resolved, adding that he looks forward to the completion of the matter and a mere stone monument on the land border.

After an hour-and-a-half meeting, the leaders of the two countries witnessed the signing of three agreements, one of which pledges China's support for Viet Nam's accession to the World Trade Organization.

Hu suggested furthering the Sino-Vietnamese comprehensive co-operative relationship by enhancing high-ranking exchanges, expanding trade and economic co-operation and strengthening communication between the countries' people, especially the youth.

The Vietnamese president said his country desired a faster development of co-operative relations in economy, trade, energy and transport.

At present, China is Viet Nam's second biggest trading partner. Two-way trade this year reached US$2.5 billion in April after a record high of US$6.47 billion in 2004.

Trade volume is expected to double by 2007, Luong added.

Local observers said bilateral trade relations are expanding, with more Chinese businesses from inland and coastal provinces reaching out to Viet Nam, and Vietnamese businesses also looking beyond its borders. Luong is paying a five-day visit to China, which will also take him to South China's Guangdong Province and the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao told an earlier regular press conference in Beijing that the two countries are friendly with relations having developed steadily over the past few years.

Exchange and co-operation between the two countries in fields such as science, technology, education, culture and tourism are becoming more and more vibrant, Liu said.

It is reported that the Asian Development Bank, which lends money for projects in both countries, said the two sides are also working on facilitating commerce and tourism.

In March this year, the petroleum companies of China, Viet Nam and the Philippines signed the Tripartite Agreement for Joint Marine Seismic Undertaking in the Agreement Area in the South China Sea, a move seen as an important step towards resolving the disputed issue.

At the Second Greater Mekong Subregion Summit in Southwest China's Yunnan Province in early July, Premier Wen Jiabao and his Vietnamese counterpart agreed that China, Viet Nam and the Philippines should jointly explore disputed areas of the South China Sea that are potentially rich in energy resources.

Source: China Daily