VNA: CHINESE PREMIER GRANTS INTERVIEW TO VIET NAM NEWS AGENCY BEFORE VIET NAM VISIT

[Dao Van <daotb@yahoo.com>]

CHINESE PREMIER TO VISIT VIET NAM

Ha Noi, Nov.  24 (VNA) -- Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji will visit Viet Nam
from Dec.  1-4 at the invitation of Prime Minister Phan Van Khai,
according to a communique of the Vietnamese Foreign Ministry. 

The visit is made in observing the tradition of annual meetings between
high-level leaders of the two countries and in implementing the joint
declaration issued during the China tour by General Secretary of the
Communist Party of Viet Nam Le Kha Phieu from Feb.  25 - March 2 this
year. 

Since then, the exchange of visits at central and local levels has been
maintained with 61 delegations of ministries and localities shuttling
between the two countries since early 1999.  Youth Unions of the two
countries also signed a cooperation programme for 2000-2001. 

Regarding the border issue, Viet Nam and China have accelerated their
negotiations with the aim of signing an agreement on land border within
1999 as agreed upon by their senior leaders, and have achieved positive
results.  The two countries' experts have reached agreement in principle
on their different points and are putting final touch on fundamental
issues.  They are sparing no efforts to fulfil the set target. 
Negotiations on the delineation of the Tonkin Gulf have entered its
essential phase and continued to achieve a number of concrete
progresses.  The two sides have expressed their determination and wish
to early conclude these two issues.  The two sides are also continuing
with negotiations on the East Sea. 

On economic and commercial relations, the two-way trade value between
Viet Nam and China reached USD 888 million in the first nine months of
this year and is expected to go up to USD 1.3 billion by the end of the
year.  The two countries are discussing measures to increase their
two-way trade value to USD 2 billion by the year 2000. 

Viet Nam exports coffee, rubber, crude oil, rice, coal, sea food, tea,
mineral ores to China and imports iron, steel, electric equipment,
cement, sugar, textile products, kerosene and gasoline, phamarceutical
products, construction materials, fertilizers, farm machines and toys
from China. 

China now has 451 projects worth USD 3.48 billion operating in Viet Nam
including 375 projects valued at USD 3.35 billion from Hong Kong. 
Almost all Chinese projects are engaged in services and small industry. 

China has provided Viet Nam with loans worth 80 million yuan (USD 14
million) without interest since 1992.  It granted preferential credit
worth 200 million yuan (USD 24 million) with subsidized interest rate to
Viet Nam in 1997.  The country also gave Viet Nam 10 million yuan and 20
million yuan in 1998 and 1999, respectively, as non-refundable aid.--VNA
==================================
CHINESE PREMIER GRANTS INTERVIEW TO VIET NAM NEWS

Ha Noi, Nov.  24 (VNA) -- Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji has granted an
interview to the Beijing-based Viet Nam News Agency correspondent before
his visit to Viet Nam, scheduled for Dec.  1-4.  Following are excerpts
of the interview:

Question: The Viet Nam-China relationship has seen fine developments
since its normalization.  What do you think the Parties, Governments and
people of the two countries should do to deepen bilateral cooperation in
political, economic, cultural and social fields? 

Answer: During the past eight years since the normalization of
China-Viet Nam relations, the leaders of the two countries have
regularly visited each other, and unceasingly broadened exchange and
cooperation on a mutually beneficial basis in political, economic,
cultural, scientific and technological fields.  We are satisfied with
the remarkable results obtained.  China and Viet Nam share many
similarities, which serve as a firm foundation for further cooperation. 

In February this year, General Secretary Jiang Zemin and General
Secretary Le Kha Phieu agreed that the two countries would strive to
develop friendly, neighbourly relations and comprehensive cooperation on
a long-term and stable basis, looking towards the future.  This marks a
turning point in the development of China-Viet Nam relations and points
to the direction for further promoting bilateral comprehensive
cooperation.  I am going to pay an official visit to Viet Nam, in line
with this set direction, and will discuss with Vietnamese leaders
measures to further strengthen and intensify the relations between the
two Parties and countries.  With practical deeds by both sides, we will
constantly enrich our relations, thus making practical contributions to
bolstering comprehensive cooperation in all fields between the two
countries.  The Party and the Government of China attach great
importance to developing friendly and neighbourly relations and
comprehensive cooperation with Viet Nam, and at the same time, want to
together with Viet Nam make tireless efforts to this end. 

Question: Countries in the region, including Viet Nam, have been
adversely affected by the economic crisis which broke out in Southeast
Asia in July, 1997.  So far, signs of recovery have been seen in
regional economies, but there are still difficulties ahead.  What is
your assessment of the economic prospects in the region and the future
cooperation between China and other countries in the region? 

Answer: With tireless efforts by themselves and assistance from the
international community, the difficulties faced by Southeast Asian
nations have been lessened to different extents and signs of recovery
have been seen in some countries.  However, the impact of the crisis
still remains and the foundation for recovery is not stable.  Restoring
economic growth and maintaining economic security are still important
issues in stabilizing the Asian-Pacific region. 

The Southeast Asian nations should enhance their cooperation and
coordination with the international community in all fields,
particularly in the monetary sector, if they want to get rid of the
spectre of crisis.  Developed countries should express a more responsive
and supportive attitude to help Southeast Asian nations get out of the
crisis.  In the long term, East Asia is a dynamic region with a
promising prospect.  Difficulties in the region are temporary.  Through
several decades of striving for socio-economic development, East Asia
has built itself a rather firm foundation and has the fundamental
conditions to boost economic growth.  We have every reason to believe
that by reviewing experiences and lessons for the future, East Asia can
certainly restructure and perfect its development model, thus continuing
to boost economic development and playing a more important role in the
global economy in the next century. 

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is a dynamic
organization, which greatly influences regional affairs.  China attaches
importance to developing its cooperative and friendly relations with
ASEAN.  In recent years, leaders of the two sides have frequently
exchanged visits to unceasingly promote bilateral friendship and mutual
understanding.  In late 1997, President Jiang Zemin and leaders of ASEAN
member countries held their first informal meeting and issued a joint
statement, laying the foundation and providing a development framework
for bilateral comprehensive relationship.  On this basis, China has
signed with Thailand and Malaysia framework agreements for bilateral
cooperation towards the 21st century, and issued joint communiques with
Viet Nam and Brunei on bilateral cooperation towards the future.  China
wishes to sign similar accords with other nations in Southeast Asia. 

At present, five dialogue frameworks between China and ASEAN are in
operation, contributing to constantly expanding mutually beneficial
bilateral cooperation in all domains with economic-commercial and
scientific-technological cooperation playing an important and extremely
lively part in bilateral relationships. 

In international and regional affairs, China and ASEAN have coordinated
with and assisted each other and increased mutual understanding and
trust in the region and between regional nations, thus playing an active
role in maintaining regional peace and development. 

China highly values the active role played by ASEAN in handling regional
affairs and holds that a united, stable and prosperous ASEAN will
benefit long-lasting peace and development in the Asia-Pacific region. 
I believe that my Southeast Asia tour will help consolidate and develop
the friendly relationship and cooperation between China and ASEAN. 
China wishes to join efforts with ASEAN member countries to further
accelerate bilateral relationships.--VNA





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