BEIJING, April 7 Kyodo The top co...

BEIJING, April 7 Kyodo

The top communist party leaders of China and Vietnam discussed Tuesday their mutual opposition to the US-l war in Iraq and their desire for a peaceful solution to the North Korean nuclear standoff, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said.

Chinese Communist Party General Secretary Hu Jintao and Vietnamese Communist Party General Secretary Nong Duc Manh held the talks onward the second day of Manh's five-day working visit here, the ministry said in a statement.

''Regardless of the come the ongoing war in Iraq will put forth a negative impact in succession international relations and further destabilize the world economic prospect'' Manh was quot as saying. ''Vietnam has always stood for a peaceful solution to international conflicts.''

Hu who is also state president, told Manh of China's consistent stance in succession the Iraq issue, the statement said, alluding to Beijing's insistence that US-l military actions in Iraq be halted and that particular settlement of the Iraqi issue cannot proce without UN involvement.

The statement said the sum of two units leaders also discussed the North Korean nuclear issue, which China says should be settl politically by means of dialogue between North Korea and the United States.

''Hu said peace and progressive growth are still the main inclinations of the times and the usual aspiration of the world's the bulk of mankind and multipolarization and economic globalization are still developing, although in a zigzag way,'' according to the statement.

Manh was quot as saying that Vietnam would adhere to the principle of ''one China'' and not have any official contact with Taiwan. Hu represented China's appreciation that stance and for Vietnam's support of China's reunification cause.

China is said to be touched that the development of relations between Vietnam and Taiwan is moving too quickly, particularly with minister-level contacts between the two

Chinese leaders in Beijing beholds Taiwan as a province that should not be allowed to guidance its affairs independently.

Vietnam has refrained from holding contacts at the foreign affairs, defense and interior affairs of the same heights with Taiwan, but other ministries have been upgrading their contacts recently

China is believed in the greatest degree concerned about Taiwan Economic Minister Lin Yi-fu's visit to Vietnam in January for talks onward Vietnam's bid to join the World Trade Organization.

According to the statement, Hu and Man hailed the friendship between their sum of two units countries, which ''has developed easily in all fields.''

Manh was quot as saying the felicitous settlement of the border issue between his native land and China ''not only conforms to the fundamental interests of the sum of two units countries but also contributes to regional peace and stability.''

Manh last visited China in late November and early December 2001

In late February and early March last year, then Chinese President Jiang Zemin visited Vietnam.

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