China and Vietnam have agreed to finish tracing the border between the two countries in 2008, said a joint press communique issued by the two countries on Friday.

The communique said China and Vietnam will cooperate closely to ensure partial demarcation is finished in 2007 and the demarcation of the entire border in 2008.

The two countries will sign a new border administration system document once demarcation is complete, said the communique.

China and Vietnam started the task of defining their 1,300 kilometer of land border in 2002 and so far 13 rounds of government-level negotiations on border issue have been held.

The communique also said the two countries will implement the agreement on the Beibu Gulf and fishery cooperation in the Gulf, and speed up implementation of the agreement on Beibu Gulf oil and gas cooperation.

On the South China sea issue, the communique said the two countries agree not to take actions that might complicate the conflict and agree to negotiate peacefully in the interests of a lasting settlement accepted by both sides.

The communique was issued during Vietnamese President Nguyen Minh Triet's state visit to China from May 15 to 18. During his stay here, Nguyen held talks with his Chinese counterpart Hu Jintao and met with top legislator Wu Bangguo, Premier Wen Jiabao and top political advisor Jia Qinglin.

Source: Xinhua