Vietnam's Communist Party chief Nong Duc Manh begins an official visit to China today.

 

A Chinese diplomat said the trip would help promote the good neighborly relationship and mutual partnership between the two parties and the two nations.

 

Nong, the General Secretary of Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV), is scheduled to hold talks with his Chinese counterpart Hu Jintao this afternoon.

 

The two leaders will witness the signing of documents on bilateral cooperation following the talks.

 

He is also to meet with Premier Wen Jiabao tomorrow.

 

This is Nong's third visit to China in the capacity of CPV party chief since 2001, but is the first time for him to visit China since he was reelected General Secretary of CPV in April.

 

"The similar political system and national conditions have helped China and Vietnam develop a bilateral relationship characterized by mutual trust, reciprocal support and overall cooperation so as to seek win-win and common development," Hu Qianwen, the Chinese ambassador in Hanoi, was quoted as saying by Xinhua News Agency yesterday.

 

The rapid development of China-Vietnam relations in recent years has been fostered by frequent high-level contact and mutual visits by the leaders of the two nations, Hu said.

 

After the two premiers exchanged mutual visits in 2004, the presidents of the two countries also realized successful mutual visits last year.

 

Bilateral economic and trade cooperation has also expanded and is moving toward a promising position of mutual benefit and common development, said the ambassador.

 

China became Vietnam's largest trade partner in 2004. Bilateral trade volume reached more than US$8 billion last year, and at the end of this year it is expected to top US$10 billion, a target volume that was set by the two premiers in 2004 to be achieved in 2010, according to Hu.

 

Furthermore, historical problems concerning borders and territory are being solved properly and cooperation in various fields is increasing, Hu said.

 

"I'm confident Nong's visit will contribute a lot to good neighborly and mutually cooperative relations between the two parties and the two countries," Hu said.

 

(China Daily August 22, 2006)