Jia Qinglin, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), said China wants to strengthen economic and trade cooperation with Vietnam for the benefit of the peoples of the two countries.

When meeting with Vietnamese Prime Minister Phan Van Khai on Tuesday, the visiting Chinese leader, also member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), put forth four proposals on developing economic and trade cooperation.

First, keep on further extending the bilateral trade, maintaining the stable and sustainable trade growth, and striving to realize target of generating two-way trade of 10 billion U.S. dollars by 2010 ahead the schedule.

Second, actively accelerate cooperation projects in such fields as energy, resources, electricity and infrastructure construction, bringing the economic and trade relations between the two countries to a new height.

Third, promote coordination between the two countries' administration agencies, and well implement cooperation projects inked by the two sides to make the bilateral cooperation bear fruits and effective soon.

Fourth, strengthen mutual coordination and consultation on international and regional issues. China actively supports Vietnam's early accession to the World Trade Organization, and, together with it, accelerates the process of building the China-ASEAN (the Association of Southeast Asian Nations) Free Trade Area.

During the meeting, Jia said in recent years, the China-Vietnam ties and their cooperation on various spheres have gained new achievements.

Khai said the Vietnam-China relations now develop smoothly. The cooperation on such fields as economy, trade, politics, defense, security, party and government management, and among administration agencies of the two countries has had a new complexion with comprehensive development.

Vietnam wishes to foster the economic and trade cooperation with China, strive to gain bilateral trade target of 10 billion dollars before 2010, Khai said, adding that his country welcomes Chinese enterprises to invest in Vietnam, and will create more favorable conditions for them to develop in the country.

Jia is here for a visit to Vietnam from March 20 to 24.

Source: Xinhua