Hu's visit to Viet Nam takes ties to new high
By Jiao Xiaoyang and Qin Jize (China Daily)
Updated: 2005-11-01 05:38

"China and Viet Nam had some conflicts in history, but we've let bygones be bygones and are looking towards the future."

Asked how familiar Vietnamese are with the China, Kap said more and more Chinese music, TV programmes and movies are becoming part of daily life.

"I recently watched the film Seven Swords, and it's amazing," he said, referring to the high-profile martial-arts Chinese film.

China and Viet Nam normalized relations in 1991, and have in recent years seen frequent exchanges of high-ranking visits and growing mutual trust.

In a joint communique issued during Tran's visit to Beijing in July, both governments agreed to speed up the survey of a land boundary a touchy issue in bilateral relations so as to reach a new land border agreement by the end of 2008.

The two countries have been working together since last July on fisheries co-operation in Beibu Bay. A joint navy patrol in the Beibu Bay area is likely to be launched by the end of this year.

Beijing and Hanoi also agreed on joint exploration in disputed areas in the South China Sea that are potentially rich in energy resources.

Growing political ties have been coupled with booming business. China is now the largest trade partner of Viet Nam, with bilateral trade volume hitting a record US$6.74 billion in 2004.

"Both China and Viet Nam have realized that sustainable economic development is very important in their relations," said Wu Jianmin, president of China Foreign Affairs University.

He said relations between the two countries "have entered a well-developing period" despite some ups and downs they have undergone. "The two countries share common interests although disputes remain, which requires consultation from both sides," he said.

(China Daily 11/01/2005 page1)