The Vietnamese participants at the meeting (Photo: VNA)Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam and China defined major tasks inthe time ahead to beef up their comprehensive strategic cooperative partnershipin a sustainable way, during the 12th meeting of the SteeringCommittee for Vietnam-China Bilateral Cooperation held in the form ofteleconferencing on July 21.
The meeting was co-chaired by Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh and ChineseState Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi.
Representatives of manyVietnamese ministries, agencies, and People’s Committees of Hanoi, Hai Phongcity and seven northern border provinces also attended the event.
The two sides shared the view that since the committee’s11th meeting in September 2018, the bilateral relationship has keptits overall positive growth momentum.
High-level contact has been maintained in aflexible manner, they said, noting phone talks and exchanges of letters and greetingsbetween Party General Secretary and State President Nguyen Phu Trong and hisChinese counterpart Xi Jinping.
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc attended anumber of economic forums in China, and talked on the phone with Chinese PM Li Keqiang on cooperation in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic.
National Assembly ChairwomanNguyen Thi Kim Ngan also made an official visit China, they added.
Cooperation betweenministries and agencies, and exchanges between localities have also beenexpanded.
Two-way trade rose 4.5percent in the first half of this year despite the impact of the pandemic.
Chinese investment inVietnam surged in 2019, and China now ranks seventh among 132 countries andterritories investing in Vietnam.
Prior to the COVID-19outbreak, China had been the biggest source of tourists to Vietnam for many consecutiveyears, while Vietnam was among the top countries in ASEAN with large numbers ofholidaymakers visiting China.
The two countries haveorganised many activities to mark the 70th anniversary of theestablishment of their diplomatic relations.
They, however, pointed to outstandingissues in the bilateral ties, such as Vietnam’s trade deficit with China, thesluggish progress of certain projects whose investors and contractors areChinese, and the slow implementation of preferential loans and non-refundableaid from China.
Given this, the two sidesagreed to promote high-level visits when situation allows, maintain contact throughappropriate forms amidst the pandemic’s complicated development, and step upcooperation between the two parties.
The two foreign ministriesshould play a more active role in coordinating and enhancing the bilateralties, while collaboration mechanisms in national defence and security, and lawenforcement should be implemented more effectively, they suggested.
The two sides sharedexperience and discussed cooperation in the fight against COVID-19 as well asthe resumption of commercial flights, thus facilitating travelling and tradingactivities.
They agreed to workto boost cooperation in terms of trade, investment, and sustainabledevelopment.
Deputy PM and FM Minh asked the Chinese side to facilitate bilateral tradeactivities, including border trade; import more Vietnamese products, especiallyfarm produce; and encourage Chinese enterprises to expand their investment inhi-tech and environmentally friendly sectors in Vietnam.
He also urged China to direct the thoroughly solution of existing problems in anumber of cooperative projects.
Wang affirmed that he will push the governing bodies of China to activelyconsider Vietnam's proposals.
The two sides alsoagreed on stronger cooperation in science-technology, environmental protection,transportation, agriculture, health care, culture, education, tourism andpeople-to-people exchange, and to support each other at multilateral forums.
Regarding land border, the two sides said that the management of border lines, boundary markers and border gates has beenimplemented well, while cross-border economic activities have been promoted despitethe complicated developments of the COVID-19 pandemic.
They agreed to strengthen coordination in border management and protection,strictly abide by provisions of the three legal documents on land borders andrelated agreements.
For sea-related issues, the two sides acknowledged the results of the 10negotiations on maritime delimitation and joint development cooperation at seaconducted following the 11th meeting of the SteeringCommittee for Vietnam–China Bilateral Cooperation; and the fruits ofcooperation in less sensitive fields at sea.
They engaged in candid discussion about the recent situation at sea andtheir differences regarding sea-related issue.
Minh voiced his concern about the complicated developments in the East Searecently, and proposed that the two sides control well disputes at sea, refrainfrom actions that complicate the situation and extend disputes, and maintainpeace and stability in the waters. He asked the Chinese side to respectVietnam's relevant legitimate rights and interests.
The two sides pledged to abide by high-level common perception and the Vietnam-China agreementon basic principles guidingthe settlement of sea-related issues, complywith international laws, especially the 1982 United Nations Convention of the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS 1982), promote result-oriented negotiation mechanisms on maritime issues; fully and effectivelyimplement the Declaration on the Conduct ofParties in the East Sea (DOC), and step up negotiations over a Code of Conductin the East Sea (COC) for substantial results.
They also agreed to exchangea list of issues that need the two sides’ coordination to address in the comingtime after the meeting./.
The two sides shared the view that since the committee’s11th meeting in September 2018, the bilateral relationship has keptits overall positive growth momentum.
High-level contact has been maintained in aflexible manner, they said, noting phone talks and exchanges of letters and greetingsbetween Party General Secretary and State President Nguyen Phu Trong and hisChinese counterpart Xi Jinping.
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc attended anumber of economic forums in China, and talked on the phone with Chinese PM Li Keqiang on cooperation in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic.
National Assembly ChairwomanNguyen Thi Kim Ngan also made an official visit China, they added.
Cooperation betweenministries and agencies, and exchanges between localities have also beenexpanded.
Two-way trade rose 4.5percent in the first half of this year despite the impact of the pandemic.
Chinese investment inVietnam surged in 2019, and China now ranks seventh among 132 countries andterritories investing in Vietnam.
Prior to the COVID-19outbreak, China had been the biggest source of tourists to Vietnam for many consecutiveyears, while Vietnam was among the top countries in ASEAN with large numbers ofholidaymakers visiting China.
The two countries haveorganised many activities to mark the 70th anniversary of theestablishment of their diplomatic relations.
They, however, pointed to outstandingissues in the bilateral ties, such as Vietnam’s trade deficit with China, thesluggish progress of certain projects whose investors and contractors areChinese, and the slow implementation of preferential loans and non-refundableaid from China.
Given this, the two sidesagreed to promote high-level visits when situation allows, maintain contact throughappropriate forms amidst the pandemic’s complicated development, and step upcooperation between the two parties.
The two foreign ministriesshould play a more active role in coordinating and enhancing the bilateralties, while collaboration mechanisms in national defence and security, and lawenforcement should be implemented more effectively, they suggested.
The two sides sharedexperience and discussed cooperation in the fight against COVID-19 as well asthe resumption of commercial flights, thus facilitating travelling and tradingactivities.
They agreed to workto boost cooperation in terms of trade, investment, and sustainabledevelopment.
Deputy PM and FM Minh asked the Chinese side to facilitate bilateral tradeactivities, including border trade; import more Vietnamese products, especiallyfarm produce; and encourage Chinese enterprises to expand their investment inhi-tech and environmentally friendly sectors in Vietnam.
He also urged China to direct the thoroughly solution of existing problems in anumber of cooperative projects.
Wang affirmed that he will push the governing bodies of China to activelyconsider Vietnam's proposals.
The two sides alsoagreed on stronger cooperation in science-technology, environmental protection,transportation, agriculture, health care, culture, education, tourism andpeople-to-people exchange, and to support each other at multilateral forums.
Regarding land border, the two sides said that the management of border lines, boundary markers and border gates has beenimplemented well, while cross-border economic activities have been promoted despitethe complicated developments of the COVID-19 pandemic.
They agreed to strengthen coordination in border management and protection,strictly abide by provisions of the three legal documents on land borders andrelated agreements.
For sea-related issues, the two sides acknowledged the results of the 10negotiations on maritime delimitation and joint development cooperation at seaconducted following the 11th meeting of the SteeringCommittee for Vietnam–China Bilateral Cooperation; and the fruits ofcooperation in less sensitive fields at sea.
They engaged in candid discussion about the recent situation at sea andtheir differences regarding sea-related issue.
Minh voiced his concern about the complicated developments in the East Searecently, and proposed that the two sides control well disputes at sea, refrainfrom actions that complicate the situation and extend disputes, and maintainpeace and stability in the waters. He asked the Chinese side to respectVietnam's relevant legitimate rights and interests.
The two sides pledged to abide by high-level common perception and the Vietnam-China agreementon basic principles guidingthe settlement of sea-related issues, complywith international laws, especially the 1982 United Nations Convention of the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS 1982), promote result-oriented negotiation mechanisms on maritime issues; fully and effectivelyimplement the Declaration on the Conduct ofParties in the East Sea (DOC), and step up negotiations over a Code of Conductin the East Sea (COC) for substantial results.
They also agreed to exchangea list of issues that need the two sides’ coordination to address in the comingtime after the meeting./.
VNA
