Viet leader's visit focuses on future ties

BEIJING - China and Vietnam on Tuesday agreed not to let maritime problems affect relations, as the neighbors have been recently involved in a maritime dispute.

The two countries also signed an agreement of basic principles, which they consider "highly important to the proper settlement of the maritime dispute".

The agreement was reached as General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee Nguyen Phu Trong arrived in Beijing on Tuesday and met Hu Jintao, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and Chinese president.