Vietnam, China leaders hold landmark talks

Vietnam, China leaders hold landmark talks

HANOI (Reuter): The leaders of China and Vietnam held landmark
talks here yesterday, focusing more on solidarity than on the
bitter disputes between the neighboring countries.

Communist Party chiefs Jiang Zemin of China and Do Muoi of
Vietnam led large delegations in the highest-level exchange
between the world's two most populous communist states since they
normalized relations three years ago.

Party ties took precedence over inter-state relations.
Vietnam's head of state, President Le Duc Anh, took second place
to Muoi at the conference table and when they both escorted Jiang
to review a guard of honor before the talks at the presidential
palace.

Muoi stood in the middle of the triumvirate on the podium,
with Jiang -- China's head of state as well as party leader -- on
his right and Anh on his left.

Arriving earlier from Ho Chi Minh City, where he spent the
night, Jiang said the talks were sure to improve relations
between Vietnam and China.

He and the Vietnamese leaders would have "an extensive and in-
depth exchange of views on further developing our bilateral
relations and on regional and international issues of common
concern," he said in a statement.

He said his visit "will help further promote our mutual
understanding and friendship and give an impetus to the
development of our good-neighborly and friendly relations."

Muoi told Reuters earlier: "The two sides will discuss the
issue of friendship, friendship and friendship, solidarity,
solidarity and solidarity."

Jiang was in good spirits at the start of the talks, laughing
and joking as dozens of journalists jostled for a view of the
leaders round the green baize table.

Muoi said "du chua? (that's enough?)" to the press and Jiang
followed up with "cam on" and "merci, merci" -- "thank you" in
Vietnamese and French.

First

Jiang is the first Chinese party chief to visit Vietnam and
the talks are the highest-level exchanges since the two countries
normalized relations in 1991 after more than a decade of
estrangement and hostility.

China seized the disputed Paracel islands in the South China
Sea in 1974 and the two countries fought a border war in 1979.
They were at odds over Vietnam's 1979-89 occupation of Cambodia
and clashed in the disputed Spratly Islands in 1988.

They remain in dispute over parts of their land border, the
undemarcated Gulf of Tonkin, the Spratlys and oil-drilling rights
in parts of the South China Sea, which Vietnam calls the Eastern
Sea.

But both countries are devoting their energies to building
market economies.

"Today, we are learning from each other and carrying out
mutually beneficial cooperation in nation building," Jiang said
in his statement.

"We are pleased with the fresh progress achieved in all facets
of our bilateral relations since they returned to normal three
years ago."