Socialist Republic of Vietnam

Ha Noi, Jan. 13 (VNA) -- Party General Secretary Nong Duc Manh reiterated the Vietnamese Party and State's consistent policy to attach importance to and strive for development of the traditional friendly and cooperative relations with the Chinese Party, State and people.

The Party leader said so while receiving a visiting delegation of the Communist Party of China (CPC), led by Liu Yunshan, Politburo member and Secretary of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee, in Ha Noi on Monday.

Ngyen Van Son, member the Communist Party of Viet Nam Central Committee (CPVCC) and head of its Commission for External Affairs and Ho Tien Nghi, member of the CPV CC and advisor to the Party General Secretary were present at the reception.

Liu Yunshan, who is also head of the Publicity Department of the CPC CC, informed his host about the results of the CPC's 16th Congress and spoke of theoretical and practical experiences in Party building work with Chinese traits.

General Secretary Manh stressed that the two sides should enhance mutual understanding and trust, strongly boost the two countries' traditional friendship and comprehensive cooperation. He said that Viet Nam pursues the foreign policy of independence, diversification and multilateralisation, with special attention being paid to constantly strengthening and developing friendship and cooperation with neighbouring countries including China - a socialist and fraternal country led by the CPC.

The Party leader asked Liu to convey his best regards and new year greetings to General Secretary Hu Jintao of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, President Jiang Zemin, and other Chinese Party and State leaders.

He accepted Chinese General Secretary Hu Jintao's invitation to visit China with pleasure and asked Liu to pass on his invitation to visit Viet Nam at an appropriate time to General Secretary Hu.

On his part, Liu emphasised that the relations between the Parties, the States, and the people of China and Viet Nam have developed rapidly in line with the guidlines "friendly neighbourliness, comprehensive cooperation, long-term stability, and looking towards the future".

He expressed his belief that by further strengthening contacts and exchanging views at the top level, expanding bilateral cooperation at all levels and branches, bolstering economic and commercial cooperation, and promoting the exchange between the youths, the ties between China and Viet Nam will surely develop more fruitfully in years to come.

The same day, the Chinese Party delegation held talks with the Vietnamese Party delegation led by Nguyen Khoa Diem, Politburo member, Secretary of the CPV CC and head of its Commission for Ideology and Culture.

Liu briefed his host of the results of the 16th national CPC Congress.
The two sides informed each other of the situation in their respective countries. They exchanged views on the Party building work, particularly political and ideological education and dissemination of information in socialist construction.

The Chinese guests also worked with Nguyen Phu Trong, Politburo member of the CPV CC, Secretary of the Ha Noi Party's Committee and President of the Central Theory Council. Both host and guest discussed measures to further accelerate the exchanges of theoretical information and experiences in socialist construction between the two Parties in 2003.