Hu Jintao, general secretary of the Central Committee of the CPC and Chinese president, met in the central Vietnamese city of Da Nang Wednesday evening with Nguyen Ba Thanh, secretary of the Da Nang City Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV).

 

During the meeting, Hu spoke highly of the city's achievements and of his hope that different localities in the two nations will strengthen exchanges and cooperation for common development.

 

Thanh said the city will learn from China's experiences and welcomed Chinese investment in the city.

 

Hu arrived in Da Nang on Wednesday afternoon on a state visit to Vietnam as a guest of General Secretary of the CPV Central Committee Nong Duc Manh and President Nguyen Minh Triet.

 

Hu is also scheduled to attend the 14th APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) Economic Leaders' Informal Meeting from Nov.17 to 19 in Hanoi, capital of Vietnam.

 

In a written statement delivered upon arrival, Hu said that the Chinese side is delighted to see Vietnam's achievements under the CPV's leadership.

 

He said the Chinese side is convinced that Vietnam would become a modern socialist industrialized country under the CPV's leadership.

 

Hu reviewed the traditional friendship between the two peoples given the countries’ friendly neighborly relations sharing mountains and waters.

 

He said Sino-Vietnamese relations had undergone continuous and important progress in the new century under the guidance of the principles of long-term stability, future-orientation, and overall cooperation.

 

Meanwhile, bilateral friendly exchanges and cooperation have been furthered, and the two countries and their peoples have become good friends, comrades and partners, noted Hu.

 

He said he is looking forward to exchanging views with Vietnamese leaders on bilateral relations as well as international and regional issues of common concern.

 

He said this visit will help promote traditional friendship and cooperation in various fields.

 

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

 

Chinese statistics show that Sino-Vietnamese trade volume last year topped US$8 billion, and the figure in 2006 is expected to exceed US$10 billion .

 

(Xinhua News Agency November 16, 2006)