Premier pledges friendly relations
Arriving in Hanoi, Wen calls for peace and stability
Premier Wen Jiabao last night pledged to create a peaceful, neighbourly environment to foster China's development goals with Vietnam.
'Development can only occur when we establish and maintain close and friendly relations with our neighbours,' Mr Wen said in an address to the staff of the Chinese embassy in Hanoi.
'Without a stable border environment, we cannot achieve our goal of development.'
He made his remarks after arriving in Vietnam yesterday afternoon for a meeting with Vietnamese leaders and to attend the Asia-Europe summit (Asem).
The summit is an informal meeting involving 39 countries from the European Union, the Association of Southeast Asian States, China, Japan and South Korea.
Mr Wen was accompanied by a senior delegation of officials including Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing , Finance Minister Jin Renqing and Commerce Minister Bo Xilai .
'We must follow the old adage of compassion to the people most close to you,' he said.
The nation faced a list of 'tasks for generations' to raise the standard of living of the Chinese people.
Mr Wen added that the development of Sino-Vietnamese bilateral ties would be guided along the principles of 'long-term stability to completely face the future, neighbourly friendship and complete co-operation'.
Before his speech last night, Mr Wen met Finnish Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen for 30 minutes.
On the sidelines of the Asem summit, Mr Wen is expected to meet European leaders and discuss the removal of the European Union's arms embargo against Beijing.
But Chinese officials said no meeting was scheduled between Mr Wen and the Japanese Prime Minister, Junichiro Koizumi, on the sidelines of the Asia-Europe Summit.
Speaking in Hanoi, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Zhang Qiyue said no one-on-one meeting was planned for Mr Wen and Mr Koizumi.
But she said, 'I'm sure they will run into each other at the summit'.
