Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung on Sunday said his country and China enjoy great potential of cooperation.

While addressing a business forum Sunday morning in south China's Guangdong Province, Nguyen said Vietnam-Guangdong trade increased by 37 percent in 2008 despite the international financial crisis.

The achievement was still far from the potential in bilateral trade and didn't live up to the expectations of the two governments and peoples, Nguyen said, adding his government would make its utmost to boost the cooperation between Vietnam and China, particularly Guangdong Province.

Setting a target of 5 to 5.5 percent GDP growth in 2009, Nguyen said Vietnam was confident in overcoming difficulties and maintaining growth. He also pledged to provide a better environment for Chinese investors.

At the forum, Guangdong's party chief Wang Yang proposed his province and Vietnam deepen trade cooperation, expand people-to-people cooperation, strengthen business exchanges and cooperation and perfect the long-term dialogue mechanism.

The two sides signed a series of memorandums of understanding on cooperation.

In a separate meeting with Guangdong governor Huang huahua, Nguyen said Vietnam would export 20 million tonnes of coal to Guangdong this year and not set any limitations on coal mine exploitation and export.

Huang called for stronger bilateral cooperation in energy resources, investment and key projects.

Nguyen arrived in Guangzhou after attending the 2009 meeting of the Bo'ao Forum for Asia in south China's Hainan Province on Saturday. He will leave Guangzhou on Monday.

(Xinhua News Agency April 20, 2009)