Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung urged southwestern China's Yunnan province and four Vietnamese border provinces to set up a joint working committee as soon as possible to promote their economic development co-operation.

Receiving Qin Guangrong, governor of Yunnan in Hanoi on April 4, PM Dung welcomed the Vietnam visit by governor Qin and more than 200 Yunnan businesses to attend the Vietnam Expo 2007 and seek opportunities for investment.

The PM said the visit would markedly contribute to promoting co-operation between Yunnan and Vietnamese localities, and Vietnam and China in general.

He said as the two countries' leaders had agreed to raise annual two-way trade from US $10 billion to US $15 billion in several years, the two sides should promote the construction of the Kunming -Lao Cai-Hanoi-Haiphong economic corridor under the two economic corridors and a belt co-operation project.

PM Dung also urged the Chinese official to implement landmark planting so as to complete the work in 2008 as scheduled, create opportunities for Vietnamese students to study in Yunnan, and co-operate in using water of the Hong and Mekong rivers.

The PM affirmed that the Vietnamese government will create favourable conditions for Yunnan's co-operation with Vietnamese localities and Yunnan businesses' investment in Vietnam.

Governor Qin Guangrong affirmed China's foreign policy to promote good neighbourliness, friendship and comprehensive co-operation with Vietnam. He said that the visit of Yunnan officials and businesses aims at seeking opportunities for investment and promoting relations with Vietnamese localities.

According to the governor, 47 businesses from Yunnan have invested in Vietnam, his province's trade with Vietnam increases 60% annually, and an increasing number of Vietnamese students are coming to study in Yunnan. Yunnan and Vietnamese border provinces are bettering co-operation mechanism in investment, trade and education.

The Yunnan governor hoped to boost co-operation with the Vietnam Coal and Minerals Group in exploration of ion or and bauxite.

He also pledged to co-operate with Vietnam in land mark planting, exploitation of the two rivers and implementation of the plan on "two economic corridors and an economic belt."

On the same day, Deputy Prime Minister Pham Gia Khiem proposed to finish the border demarcation and landmark planting between Vietnam and China's Yunnan province soon so as to complete the two countries' work in 2008. The Vietnamese Deputy PM made the statement on April 4 during his reception for and banquet hosted in honour of Governor of Yunnan province Qin Guangrong and his entourage.

Deputy PM and Foreign Minister Khiem welcomed Yunnan provincial businesses to invest in Vietnam. He asked both sides to increase bilateral economic and trade relations, promote tourism co-operation between Yunnan province and Vietnamese localities and make visa procedures easier for Vietnamese and Chinese tourists.

He hoped that both sides would closely work with each other for sustainable use of water resources in the Mekong and Red rivers for mutual development.

Deputy PM Khiem and Governor Qin witnessed the symbolic presentation ceremony of 50 heavy-duty trucks for agriculture, worth 7 million Chinese Yuans, by Yunnan provincial authorities to the Vietnamese Government.

While in Vietnam from April 3-5, Governor Qin held working sessions with the Ministry of Planning and Investment and the People's Committees of Hanoi and northern coastal Quang Ninh province to discuss ways to accelerate co-operation in economics, trade, industry, transport and communications, tourism and other fields.

Also on the occasion, Yunnan province organised in Hanoi a seminar on trade and investment between Yunnan and Vietnamese localities and businesses. Governor Qin Guangrong also attended the opening ceremony of an international trade fair, Vietnam Expo 2007, at the Giang Vo Exhibition and Trade Fair Centre in Hanoi. (VNA)