Chinese President Jiang Zemin, in a meeting with Vietnamese President Tran Duc Luong Monday, stressed four points for the development of the Sino-Vietnamese relations in the new century.

First, China will continue to develop state-to-state relationship with Vietnam on the basis of the five principles of peaceful co-existence, Jiang said.

The two parties' friendly relations of cooperation should continue to be developed in accordance with the principles of independence, complete equality, mutual respect and non- interference in each other's internal affairs, he said.

Secondly, Jiang said, the two countries should maintain high-level contact as well as contact at other levels and strengthen cooperation in regional and multi-lateral international affairs. Thirdly, he said, greater prominence should be given to the two countries' cooperation in the economic and trade and other fields.

Fourthly, Jiang said, China and Vietnam have successfully resolved problems related to land boundary, demarcation in the Beibu Bay and its related fishing issue, laying the foundation that will enable the two countries to share a border of peace, friendship and long-term stability in the new century.

However, Jiang said, in order to maintain true stability in the border areas, both sides should honor their political commitments and earnestly carry out agreements that have been reached and appropriately solve potential problems of various kinds in order to safeguard the two countries' relations.

(Xinhua 12/25/2000)