of the Vietnam-China Land Border Treaty at Mong Cai International Border Gate in the northern province of Quang Ninh.

Deputy PM and FM Pham Binh Minh (right) and Chinese State Counsellor and FM Wang Yi on August 23 co-chair a ceremony to mark the 20th anniversary of the signing of the Vietnam-China Land Border Treaty. (Photo: VNA)

The ceremony also marked the 10th year of the implementation of three legal documents on land border signed between the two countries.

In his remarks at the event, Minh underscored the significance of the signing of the treaty in 1999, the completion of their boundary demarcation and marker planting in 2008, and the implementation of the three legal documents on land border since 2010.

They mark the completion of the two sides’ 36-year negotiations on border demarcation, Minh said.

He said both sides had consistently pursued the principles of equality, mutual respect and valid concern over each other’s interests on the basis of agreed legal framework and international laws while demarcating the shared border.

He reaffirmed that the Party, State and people of Vietnam always attach great importance to maintaining the friendship with China and stand ready to deepen the bilateral comprehensive strategic partnership.

The Vietnamese official proposed the two countries to continue coordinating in border management, promoting the role of the Vietnam-China Land Border Joint Committee and implementing the three legal documents.

Deputy PM and FM Pham Binh Minh (left) and Chinese State Counsellor and FM Wang Yi visit border landmark 1369 in China. (Photo: VNA)

He also urged the two sides to further foster cooperation in economics, trade and tourism along the shared border and to beef up friendly exchange and win-win partnership between border localities in each nation.

Yi, for his part, called on the two countries to well handle issues emerging along the shared border and improve the effectiveness of border management. The good settlement of land border and Gulf of Tonkin issues between the two sides will provide valuable experience for resolving maritime disputes, he said.

The two officials also exchanged views on the situation and measures to boost relations between the two Parties and States in the time to come, as well as issues of mutual concern, including facilitating the travel of experts, technicians and peoples of the two countries, on the basis of ensuring the COVID-19 fight. They agreed to assign relevant authorities of their sides to further discuss on this matter./.VNA