National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Phu Trong and his wife left Ha Noi today for an eight-day official visit to China at the invitation of Chairman of the Chinese National People's Congress Standing Committee Wu Bangguo. This is Trong's first official visit to a foreign country as chief of the legislative body, according to OANA. Following a visit to China in August 2006 by Party General Secretary Nong Duc Manh and a Viet Nam visit by Chinese Party General Secretary and President Hu Jintao last November, NA Chairman Trong's visit is expected to contribute to intensifying and developing the bilateral friendship and comprehensive cooperation. The visit is also seen as an opportunity for the two legislatures to share experiences in law making and supervision activities. In recent years, Viet Nam-China relations have been constantly promoted in all spheres based on the motto of "friendly neighbourliness, comprehensive cooperation, long-term stability and looking towards the future" and in the spirit of "good neighbours, good friends, good comrades and good partners" as agreed upon by senior leaders of the two nations. The two sides have exchanged more than 100 visits at central and local levels each year. Along their fine political relationship, Viet Nam and China have also worked hard to boost bilateral ties in economics, trade, investment, tourism, culture and education. China has become Viet Nam's leading trade partner. Two-way trade value reached nearly 10 billion USD last year. The two sides also agreed to raise bilateral trade turnover to 15 billion USD in 2010. Viet Nam has since 2001 seen trade deficit in import-export balance with China with a remarkable growth. To reduce Viet Nam's trade deficit, the two countries have discussed a number of measures, including facilitating Vietnamese goods' entry into the Chinese market and increasing Chinese investment in Viet Nam. -- SPA
