Vietnam, China discuss agriculture, rural issues

Khanh Hoa (VNA) - Vietnamese and Chinese officials are gathering in the central coastal province of Khanh Hoa for a three-day symposium to discuss a range of theoretical and practical issues related to agriculture, farmers, rural areas and their experiences in the field.

Opening the symposium, the fourth of its kind, on Oct. 31, Truong Tan Sang,
a politburo member and the standing secretary of the Communist Party of
Vietnam's Central Committee stressed that both Vietnam and China have
given special attention to the issues affecting agriculture, farmers and
rural areas.

As the two countries are set to modernise their agricultural processes in a
bid to further improve the quality of life of farmers and create socialist
rural areas, the symposium is of great significance to both sides, the
Vietnamese official said.

He added that the symposium forms part of the effort to constantly
consolidate and promote the two countries' comprehensive strategic
cooperative partnership under the motto "friendly neighbourliness,
comprehensive cooperation, long-term stability and looking towards the
future" in the spirit of "good neighbours, good friends, good comrades and
good partners".

" Vietnam places great value on the Communist Party of China's
experiences and theoretical fruits drawn from Party building and State
management. Vietnam regards this symposium as a good opportunity to find
out more about China 's precious experience of agriculture, farmers and
rural areas," Sang said.

In his speech, Zhou Yongkang, a member of the Standing Committee of the
Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China's Central Committee,
stressed that theoretical and practical issues relating to agriculture,
farmers and rural areas are big issues that always give cause for concern as
the majority of the two countries' population consists of people living in
rural areas or involved in agriculture.

On the first day of the symposium, Vietnamese officials took the floor with
three presentations focusing on urbanisation in Vietnam , the building of
modern rural areas in the country, and theoretical and practical issues for
agriculture, farmers and rural areas in Khanh Hoa province.

The three presentations by the Chinese officials focused on their
achievements and experiences, the reduction of poverty in China's rural
areas, the efforts to create a rural culture, raising farmers' educational
levels and ensuring the legitimate interests of workers descended from
the farming class.-Enditem