vietnam china friendship

coupure de journaux nhân dân dec 2001

Party General Secretary Nong Duc Manh left Hanoi today November 30, starting an official visit to the People’s Republic of China at the invitation of China Communist Party General Secretary and President Jiang Zemin.

Mr Manh’s first China visit as the Party General Secretary demonstrates the policy of attaching importance to the relations with the socialist countries and neighbours sharing common borders. The visit has not only reaffirmed the wishes and determination of the government and people of the two countries to continue developing the relations between the two Parties, the two States to a new height in the 21^st century, but made an active contribution to pushing ahead the trend of peace, stability and co-operation on the region and the world.

Making an official visit to the neighbouring People’s Republic of China, the General Secretary is bringing to the Chinese people the friendly sentiments and joy of the Vietnamese people at the great achievements recorded by the Chinese people on the path to build a prosperous and modern China. For over two decades of conducting reform and door opening, the image of China has undergone a profound change. China has achieved the world’s fastest economic growth rate, with the GDP in 2000 worth more than US $1,000 billion, six times higher than that in 1980. China has attracted US $731.9 billion of foreign investment and reached a foreign currency reserve of over US $200 billion. Even though it was affected by the global economic downturn, China may obtain a 7.3% economic growth rate this year and GDP may reach a record of US $1,087 billion. Progress has been made in health care, culture and education.

These great achievements have helped create premises for the Chinese people to successfully fulfil the tenth Five-Year Plan and the first Five-Year Plan of the 21^st century. With its persistent foreign policy on the five principles of peaceful co-existence, development of diplomatic relations and cultural and economic exchanges with other countries, China has raised its position and prestige on the international arena.

Vietnam and China are two age-old close neighbouring countries. The Vietnam-China friendship has been constantly enhanced to become a precious common treasure of the two Parties, States and people. That the senior leaders of the two sides have made regular visits to each other has played an important role, enhancing the further development of the relations between the two countries. The general statement in February 1999 between the two general secretaries defines the guideline of ‘Friendly neighbourliness, comprehensive co-operation, long lasting stability and future - orientated thinking.' This is a fundamental and long term direction for the development of the relations between the two countries, making a new stage of the Vietnam-China relations.

We are glad to note that the co-operation between the two countries in the educational, cultural, trade and economic fields has seen ever better development. The two-way trade turnover has increased to US $2.4 billion in 2000 from US $32 million in 1991, exceeding the target. China has invested in 107 projects up to now, totally capitalised at US $214 million, and many of these have started making profits. China has offered Vietnam preferential loans to renovate and upgrade a number of enterprises it helped Vietnam build in the past. The two sides are unanimous in holding that the trade and economic potential between the two countries is still very great. So this needs to be further tapped to meet the interests of both countries.

As a dialogue partner of ASEAN, China has made notable contributions to enhancing multifaceted co-operation among the regional countries, through foreign relations mechanisms, such as ASEAN +1, ASEAN +3, ARF. The good co-ordination between Vietnam and China at regional and international forums has made an important contribution to maintaining peace and stability, accelerating co-operation and development in Asia-Pacific and the world.

On this occasion, we wish the Chinese people greater achievements on the path of national modernisation. May the China visit by General Secretary Nong Duc Manh be crowned with success so as to raise the traditional friendly relations between the two Parties, States and peoples to a new height in the interests of the two nations, for peace, stability and development in the region and the world.

NHAN DAN