He said that together with maintaining high-level meetings, both sides should effectively implement agreements and shared perceptions, while boosting cooperation in all fields, especially in economics, trade and investments.

Both countries should also promote ties among local communities, especially along their common borders, while increasing people-to-people exchanges, suggested the Deputy PM, who is in China 's Yunnan province from June 11-13 for the opening of the third China-South Asia Expo and 23rd Kunming Fair.

He also said that Viet Nam pursued a foreign policy of peace, independence, self-control, multilateralism and diversification, and always valued its comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership with China.

On the East Sea issue, Deputy PM Hai stressed that both sides should abide by the agreements and common perceptions of senior leaders of the two Parties and States regarding the efficient control of disagreements at sea, not taking any actions that further complicate and expand disputes, while working together for the maintenance of peace and stability in the East Sea.

Further, Viet Nam and China should strictly and fully implement their agreement on basic principles guiding the settlement of sea-related issues, as well as the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC), he said.

Both sides should also work with ASEAN countries to complete the Code of Conduct in the East Sea at an early date, he emphasised, adding that the two countries should properly resolve disputes through peaceful measures in conformity with international law.

For his part, Li Yuanchao spoke highly of progress in bilateral relations over the past years, affirming that the Party and Government of China always attached much importance to the neigh-bourly friendship and comprehensive cooperation with Viet Nam.

He held that the two countries should actively enhance their comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership in a healthy manner, while expanding bilateral collaboration practically for mutual benefit, and settling disputes properly for the interest of both peoples.

During a meeting with Yunnan Governor Chen Hao, Deputy PM Hai congratulated Yunnan on the localities' socio-economic achievements over the past years.

He expressed delight at the sound affiliation between Viet Nam's localities and Yunnan, pledging that the Vietnamese Government is keen on boosting cooperation between ministries and localities with the province.

He also suggested that both sides should improve the efficiency of friendship exchanges and cooperation mechanism, contributing to bolstering the Viet Nam-China ties.

Business ties

Deputy Prime Minister Hai also encouraged Chinese enterprises to make long-term investments in Viet Nam.

He made the remarks while addressing the third China-South Asia Fair and the 23rd Kunming Export and Import Fair.

He said the China-South Asia Fair had important significance and served as a bridge to promote trade and investment co-operation among Asian countries.

He called on the region to solve disputes and disagreements through dialogue based on international laws in order to maintain a peaceful and stable environment for promoting connectivity and developing trade and investment.

The economic, trade and investment co-operation between Viet Nam and China had grown strongly, Hai said, adding that China had been Viet Nam's biggest trade partner for 11 years and Viet Nam was China's second largest trade partner in Southeast Asia.

The China-South Asia Fair, which opened in Kunming yesterday, attracted over 3,000 enterprises from 31 countries and territories in South Asia and Southeast Asia.

Vietnamese enterprises are running 144 booths at the fair, displaying agricultural and aquaculture, footwear and wood products.

Forums and conferences will also be organised in tandem with the fair, including the seventh Greater Mekong Sub-region Economic Corridor Forum, the 10th China-South Asia Trade Forum and the first China-South Asia Technology Innovation and Transfer Conference.

VNS