Hebriefed the guests about the World Economic Forum on ASEAN held in Hanoi inSeptember 2018 – the most successful event in the past 27 years, Vietnam’sratification of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement on Trans-PacificPartnership, acceleration of the Vietnam – European Union Free Trade Agreementsigning, negotiations on the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership withChina and partners.
Reviewingthe exchange of delegations and outstanding results of bilateral ties in 2018,Khoi said Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc attended the first China International ImportExpo in Shanghai and held an important meeting with General Secretary ofthe Communist Party of China Central Committee and President Xi Jinping.
The two countries’leaders agreed to maintain high-level visits and exchanges, strengthenpolitical trust, promote important cooperation mechanisms between the twoParties and countries, and step up cooperation in practical areas.
Two-way trade wasestimated at 150 billion USD, according to the Chinese Customs. Vietnam was thelargest trade partner of China in ASEAN in three consecutive years while Chinabecame the seventh largest foreign investor in Vietnam out of the 129 countriesand territories investing in the nation.
People-to-peopleexchange was strengthened with over 12.8 million people travelling across thetwo countries’ border areas.
Both sides launchedmeasures to foster trust, including border exchanges between the two defenceministries and exchanges between coast guards, joint patrols, search and rescuevia bilateral channel and within ASEAN framework, contributing to raisingmutual understanding and political trust.
On the issues at sea,the ambassador suggested that both sides should continue seriously realisingcommon perceptions by their leaders, the Agreement on Basic Principles guidingthe settlement of issues at sea, fully abide by the Declaration on the Conductof Parties in the East Sea (DOC) towards reaching a Code of Conduct in the EastSea (COC) in line with international law, especially the 1982 Convention on theLaw of the Sea, contributing to maintaining peace, stability and security inthe region and the East Sea in particular.
He expressed hopethat 2019 will continue to be a successful year of bilateral ties with a numberof high-level visits, towards further deepening Vietnam – China comprehensivestrategic cooperative partnership.
The diplomat wishedthat the Chinese press outlets will work closely with Vietnamese counterpartsto objectively cover situation in each country as well as bilateral friendship,especially the potential of bilateral economic and trade ties.-VNA