China's top legislator Wu Bangguo on Monday said China and Vietnam should tackle boundary issue appropriately in a bid to maintain stability in the South China Sea.

 

"The two countries should enhance political mutual trust, appropriately deal with the boundary issue and implement related agreements," said Wu Bangguo, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), China's top legislature.

 

Wu made the remarks in talks with Chairman of the National Assembly of Vietnam Nguyen Phu Trong, who pays an official good-will visit to China from April 8 to 15.

 

As part of the solution to the boundary issue, China's top legislature in February ratified a treaty defining the point where the national borders of China, Vietnam and Laos meet.

 

The treaty, which was signed last October by the foreign ministries of the three countries, says the tri-border junction lies on the Shiceng Dashan Mountain.

 

Wu also suggested the two neighbors deepen pragmatic cooperation, particularly on block trading and big projects.

 

The total trade volume between Vietnam and China hit almost US$10 billion in 2006, up 21.4 percent from the previous year.

 

"China and Vietnam, having same social system, similar political system and identical strategic interests, both are at the stage of economic transformation and facing the task of democratic and legal construction," said Wu.

 

"That provides big potentials for parliamentary exchanges between the two countries," Wu added, hoping the two parliaments could further exchanges on legislation and supervision.

 

Under current complex and volatile international situations, to cement China-Vietnam friendship complies with the fundamental interests of both countries and is the common aspiration of the two peoples, said Wu.

 

Nguyen said the National Assembly of Vietnam is ready to enhance friendly cooperation with the NPC and learn from China on legislation and supervision to promote Vietnam-China relations.

 

(Xinhua News Agency April 10, 2007)