China and Viet Nam issued Sunday a joint statement during the visit
of Nong Duc Manh, general secretary of the Central Committee of the
Communist Party of Viet Nam (CPV).
Manh is the guest of the General Secretary of the Central Committee
of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and Chinese President Jiang
Zemin.
During his visit, Manh held talks with Jiang and met respectively
with Li Peng, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political
Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and chairman of the Standing
Committee of the National People's Congress, Zhu Rongji, a member
of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC
Central Committee and Chinese premier, Li Ruihuan, a member of the
Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central
Committee and chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese
People's Political Consultative Conference, and Hu Jintao, a member
of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC
Central Committee and Chinese vice president.
In
the cordial and friendly talks and meetings, the statement says,
both sides exchanged views on regional and international issues of
common concern.
The joint statement says that Manh's visit is an important event
for the two parties and two countries in the new century and the
visit has been a success.
The statement says that the visit has made an important
contribution to the enhancement and deepening of the fully-rounded
friendly and cooperative relations between China and Viet Nam and
will have a far-reaching impact on regional and global peace,
stability, cooperation and development.
The Vietnamese side gives high praise to the achievements made by
the CPC and the Chinese people during the past 80 years and firmly
believe that greater accomplishments will be achieved in the course
of building socialism with Chinese characteristics.
The Chinese side commends the historic accomplishments made by the
CPV and the Vietnamese people over the last 70 years and believe
that there will be greater achievements scored by Viet Nam in the
construction of socialist motherland with people's affluence,
national strength, social equality and democracy, it says.
The two sides are determined to proceed realistically, to explore
and resolve key theoretical and practical issues in party-building
and national construction so as to promote economic growth and
social progress.
Both sides are satisfied with the progress made in all areas since
the two countries normalized their ties, the statement says.
The two countries have signed a number of key documents, including
four joint communiquis signed in 1991, 1992, 1994 and 1995, two
joint statements signed in 1999 and 2000, the demarcation pacts for
land border and Beibu Bay, and the Beibu Bay fishery agreement.
Both believe that the two parties, the two nations and the two
peoples value the Sino-Vietnamese friendship. The enhancement of
such friendly relationship is in the fundamental interests of the
two nations and is conducive to peace, stability, cooperation and
development in the region and the world.
Both parties are determined to adhere to the principles guiding
bilateral relations and to raise the level of bilateral cooperation
to new high.
Both wish to strengthen and develop an all-round cooperation
between the two parties, as well as between governments,
parliaments, mass organizations and localities, it says.
The statement stresses that friendly exchanges with rich content in
diverse forms between young people of the two countries should be
encouraged to ensure the development of the friendship from
generation to generation.
On
economic and scientific and technological cooperation, the
statement says that the two sides should continue to expand
bilateral cooperation in accordance with the guideline of equality
and mutual benefit, pursuing practical results, adopting various
ways and seeking common development.
Enterprises in both countries should be encouraged to explore each
other's commodity market, increase investment, expand economic and
technological cooperation and implement projects which will bring
concrete economic gains and social benefits.
The two countries have signed two agreements, one on economic and
technological cooperation and the other on China providing
preferential loans to Viet Nam, the statement says.
They also agree to push forward the long-term cooperation in an
aluminum mine in Viet Nam.
Viet Nam congratulates China on its accession to the World Trade
Organization (WTO) and China supports Viet Nam's WTO entry at the
earliest possible date, it says.
Both sides hold the same view that the agreements already reached
on land borders, on the demarcation of Beibu Bay and on fishery
cooperation in the Beibu Bay area are of great significance and
have made positive contributions to the further development of the
good-neighborly friendship and comprehensive cooperative relations
between the two countries as well as to regional stability.
Both countries agree to accelerate the follow-up negotiations on
the fishery agreement in accordance with the consensus reached
between the leaders of the two countries to ensure the demarcation
pact of Beibu Bay and the Beibu Bay fishery agreement become
effective simultaneously, the statement says.
The two sides will actively promote and accelerate the survey and
determination of the boundary and the erection of tablets on land
borders and make the China-Viet Nam border a peaceful and friendly
boundary with long-standing stability.
Both sides agree that the current negotiation mechanism on maritime
issues should be maintained while seeking a thorough and
long-standing solution acceptable to both through peaceful
negotiations, the joint statement says.
In
line with resolving easier issues ahead of more difficult ones on
maritime issues, both sides should actively explore possibilities
and methods in such fields as maritime environmental protection,
meteorological and hydrological services, as well as in disaster
reduction and relief.
At
the same time, neither should take actions that could complicate or
aggravate disputes, nor resort to the use of force or the threat of
using force.
All disputes should be promptly handled through consultation with a
calm and constructive attitude and the normal developments of
bilateral ties shall not be affected by such disputes.
It
says the Vietnamese side reiterates that Viet Nam recognizes the
government of the People's Republic of China as China's sole
legitimate government and Taiwan as an inalienable part of China.
Viet Nam confines its contact with Taiwan to the level of non-
official trade and economic exchanges and never develops official
relations with Taiwan.
The Chinese side understands and appreciates Viet Nam's stance on
the issue. The Chinese side reiterates that the Taiwan issue is
China's internal affairs, and firmly opposes the formation of
official relations of any form or official contact of any kind with
Taiwan by countries which have diplomatic relations with China.
The joint statement says both sides are satisfied that they have
reached a broad consensus on regional and international issues of
common concern. They maintain that the pursuit of peace,
cooperation, development and social progress is the way the world
is moving. China, Viet Nam and the two peoples long for lasting
world peace, a long, stable and peaceful life, the establishment of
a fair and reasonable world order with common prosperity and the
development of all the nations.
Both sides are opposed to hegemonism and power politics in the
world affairs, and all types of terrorism. Both sides advocate that
the history, culture, social system, mode of development of each
country and various civilizations of the world should be
respected.
Both sides appreciate the positive role of the Association of
Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in maintaining and promoting
regional stability and development. They reiterate their
determination to devote themselves to strengthening good-
neighborly relations of mutual trust and partnership between China
and ASEAN countries and to make efforts and contributions to the
long-lasting stability and prosperity of Asia, especially East
Asia, the joint statement says.
It
says Manh invited Jiang to visit Viet Nam in 2002 when convenient,
and Jiang accepted the invitation with pleasure.
(Xinhua News
Agency December 2, 2001)