~ Le Viêt Nam, aujourd'hui. ~
The Vietnam News

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Hu says China's rise 'peaceful'

Chinese President Hu Jintao has told Vietnam's parliament that his country's rapid economic rise presented no threat. Mr Hu said China's development would be peaceful and co-operative. Mr Hu was only the third foreign leader to have addressed the parliament, following Swedish and Laotian visitors.

Since the normalisation of relations between the two communist countries 14 years ago, China has become Vietnam's largest trading partner. Bilateral trade exceeded $7bn last year, and President Hu hopes to increase the figure to $10bn by 2010. Mr Hu was speaking on the second day of a three-day visit to Vietnam.

On Monday about 1,000 well-wishers lined the streets of the capital Hanoi to greet him. He held talks with the head of Vietnam's Communist Party Nong Duc Manh, who said developing relations with the northern neighbour was a "top priority". The two leaders said they would expand annual high-level visits.

From war to trade

Relations have been steadily progressing between the historical enemies since 1991, when the two sides formally ended the enmity that saw them fight a brief border war in 1979. "We are satisfied with the good momentum of development of China-Vietnam relations," Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Kong Quan said last week in Beijing. "Good relations with Vietnam serve the interests of both countries," he said. "This visit will help strengthen our bilateral ties, deepen and broaden relations between our two countries and raise relations to a new height."

Last week China and Vietnam agreed to start joint military patrols of the Gulf of Tonkin - which has been the subject of a border dispute between both countries for years. Mr Hu is in Vietnam after a three-day visit to North Korea, where he reportedly won a pledge from North Korean leader Kim Jong-il that the country would take part in the next scheduled round of six-nation talks on its nuclear programme, due to take place in November.

BBC News - November 1st, 2005.