China, Vietnam agree to enhance friendly ties, overall cooperation

China and Vietnam have agreed to enhance good-neighborly and friendly ties and overall cooperation, said a joint declaration issued by the two countries on Friday.

In the declaration, the two sides expressed satisfaction with the ever-reinforcing ties between the two parties and countries, adding that China and Vietnam share strategic interests over many major issues.

Under an international situation that is undergoing profound changes, enhancing the Sino-Vietnam good-neighborly and friendly ties and comprehensive cooperation is in the fundamental interests of the two parties, countries and peoples, and conducive to peace and development in the region and the world as a whole, the declaration said.

According to the declaration, issued during Chinese President Hu Jintao's visit to Vietnam, the two sides agree to enhance high-level exchanges of visits and expand pragmatic cooperation in economy and trade, technology and science, education and culture.

The two countries will be committed to the principle of "friendly neighborliness, comprehensive cooperation, long-term stability, future orientation" and the four-good spirit -- good neighbors, good friends, good comrades and good partners -- in their relationship development, the declaration said.

Hu is in Vietnam for a state visit and has held talks with General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam Nong Duc Manh, President Nguyen Minh Triet, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Phu Trong.

In the declaration, the two sides also expressed satisfaction over their cooperation in regional and international affairs, reaffirming willingness to continue to enhance their coordination and to work together to safeguard and promote peace, stability and development in the region and the world at large.

They also called on the United Nations to play a bigger role in meeting the new challenges and threats, safeguarding peace and security of the world and promoting common development of its member states.

China also expresses its support for Vietnam in its bid for the non-permanent membership of the UN Security Council in 2008-2009.

In the declaration, Vietnam also reiterates its adherence to the one-China policy and its support for China's Anti-Secession Law.

Reaffirming its firm opposition to "Taiwan independence" and pledging not to have official ties with Taiwan, Vietnam said it hopes to see an early reunification of China, according to the declaration.

Vietnam is the first leg of Hu's four-nation tour, which will also take him to Laos, India and Pakistan.

Source: Xinhua