It will be Mr Hu’s reciprocal visit to Vietnam following the successful visit to China by General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Nong Duc Manh in August 2006.

During Mr Manh’s visit, the two countries’ leaders affirmed their high political determination to strengthen and develop the friendship and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and China under the motto of “friendly neighbourliness, comprehensive co-operation, long-lasting stability and future-oriented thinking” and in the spirit of “good neighbours, good friends, good comrades and good partners”, considering the Vietnam-China relationship the invaluable asset of the two countries’ people which needs to be preserved and developed. They pledged to do their utmost to bring this relationship to a new height and agreed to support each other in the Doi Moi (Renewal) process, open-door policy and socialist construction in their respective countries for the sake of peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world.

Over the past years, the two countries have maintained high-level visit exchanges and talks. In addition to Party leader Manh’s visit to China in August 2006, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung met Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao while attending the sixth Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) in Finland in September 2006 and the China-ASEAN summit in Nanning, China, in October 2006. Party leader and State President Hu Jintao will make a reciprocal visit to Vietnam this month while attending the 14th APEC summit in Hanoi scheduled for November 12-19.

The visit will take place at a time when the friendship, neighbourliness and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and China have developed strongly, bringing about practical benefits for the two countries. The relations between the two Parties and States as well as between their defence, security and diplomatic sectors have also been enhanced. Bilateral economic and trade cooperation has blossomed in recent years, with two-way trade value reaching US$8 billion last year and being likely expected to hit US$10 billion this year. Similarly, Chinese investment in Vietnam has continued to increase significantly. By October 2005, China had invested in 349 projects in Vietnam capitalised at US$730 million, ranking 14th among foreign investors in the country.

During their second meeting in July 2006, Vietnamese and Chinese experts agreed to submit reports on the building of the “two corridor-one economic beltway” to their Governments for appraisal and approval. A Memorandum of Understanding on the scheme is expected to be signed during Mr Hu‘s coming visit.

Efforts have been made to speed up border delineation and border marker planting activities to ensure that the work will have been completed by 2008 as scheduled. The two sides have conducted surveys on fishery resources in the common fishing area, joint patrols in the Bac Bo (Tonkin) Gulf and negotiations on border delineation in the area off the Gulf estuary. They have also begun tripartite cooperation in seismic exploration in the East Sea between Vietnam, China and the Philippines.

In recent times, bilateral exchanges and cooperation in education and training, culture and sports have also been enhanced. Every year, China receives a large number of Vietnamese students and athletes to study and train at universities and institutes while sending coaches to Vietnam to help train athletes. The two countries have frequently conducted cultural exchanges to promote friendship and mutual understanding.

Cooperation between localities of the two countries, particularly between China’s Yunnan and Guangxi provinces and Vietnam’s northern provinces, have also been boosted in diverse forms to contribute to their socio-economic development.

Mr Hu’s visit will be a chance for the two countries to discuss measures aimed at strengthening and expanding bilateral cooperation in all areas, especially in economics and trade and to exchange views on regional and international issues of mutual concern. Potential for development and cooperation between Vietnam and China is great and with joint efforts of the two countries, this relationship will constantly develop in the 21st century to meet the aspirations and interests of the two countries’ people for peace, stability and development in the region and the world.