China, Vietnam settle land border issue

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-02-24 14:45

In Puzhai, a bustling border trade market in Pingxiang, throngs of Vietnamese peddlers selling fruits, rosewood and various specialties flood in every day.

Cai Guodui and his wife, who have run a small grocery store for almost a decade, witnessed the rapidly growing border trade.

Chinese State Councilor Dai Bingguo (L4) shakes hands with Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Pham Gia Khiem (L5) in front of the No. 1116 boundary markers, Youyiguan border gate, Pingxiang City, South China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, February 23, 2009. [Xinhua]

"It was very easy to earn more than a million yuan a year at the beginning. As more and more businessmen flocked here, competition became extremely intense. In recent years, my shop just earned about 10,000 yuan a month," said Cai, 45, a native of southeast China's Fujian Province.

Vietnamese woodwork, coffee, snacks, and spices sell well here. Chinese fruits, garments, home appliances and industrial products are popular in the Vietnamese market.

China has been Vietnam's largest trade partner for more than two years, with trade hitting 19.46 billion U.S. dollars in 2008, a growth of 28.8 percent year on year. Leaders of the two countries have set a target of 25 billion U.S. dollars by 2010.

The two countries established diplomatic relations in 1950. Bilateral ties deteriorated in late 1970s and normalized in 1991.

"Vietnamese people hailed the completion of the land border demarcation, believing it will promote exchanges of all aspects across the border, especially trade and tourism," said Bui Hong Phuc, vice chairman of the Vietnam-China Friendship Association (VCFA).

Vietnamese Friendship Association and VCFA are planning to organize a cultural exchange event in border areas this summer along with their Chinese counterparts, in an effort to consolidate the traditional friendship between the people, said the chairman.

"I hope more people will be able to travel across the border to experience the beautiful scenery on both sides," said Nguyen Thu Ha, 35, a Vietnamese tourist guide.

"The border areas will be more secure and stable. Demarcation is important and deserves celebrating," she said.

China and Vietnam have agreed to work out a new agreement on land border management to build it into a region of long-term peace, friendliness and stability.

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