Vietnamese party chief visits southern China, urges closer trade ties

General-Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee Nguyen Phu Trong visited southern Guangdong Province on Thursday, urging stronger economic ties between the province and Vietnam. During his meeting with Wang Yang, chief of the Guangdong Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China, Trong said he appreciates the support and help Guangdong offered Vietnam during various historical periods. He hopes Guangdong will further enhance cooperation with Vietnam in areas such as trade, technology, education and culture to boost progress in cooperation among both countries' local governments. "As a witness and participant of the China-Vietnam traditional friendship, Guangdong has seen increasing contacts with Vietnam in recent years and has expanded substantial cooperation in various areas," Wang said. "Guangdong is willing to make joint efforts with Vietnam's local governments to implement the consensus reached between leaders of both countries and parties to boost progress of bilateral cooperation," Wang added. Trong arrived in Guangzhou, capital of Guangdong, earlier on Thursday to continue his five-day China trip. He visited the site of a Vietnamese youth community where late Vietnamese President Ho Chi Minh had lived and a cemetery where a Vietnamese martyr who died in Guangzhou in 1924 is buried. Trong is on an official China visit from Oct. 11-15 as a guest of President Hu Jintao. It is his first China trip since being elected general secretary of the CPV Central Committee in January.