A Government-level negotiation on territorial and border issues between Vietnam and China took place in the northern mountainous province of Lao Cai on January 14.

Scene at the event (Photo: VOV)

The event was co-chaired by Deputy Foreign Minister Le Hoai Trung, who is General Secretary of the Steering Committee for Vietnam-China Cooperation, and China’s Deputy Foreign Minister Kong Xuanyou, who is General Secretary of the Steering Committee for China-Vietnam Cooperation.

Both sides exchanged views on territory and border-related issues as well as the two countries’ relations over the past times comprehensively, while discussing cooperation orientations to speed up the resolution of existing issues and boost the ties in 2019, thus contributing to enhancing the Vietnam-China comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership.

The sides stressed the importance of territorial and border issues and related outcomes they have achieved within the framework of their governmental-level negotiations, which aims to implement agreements secured between their high-ranking leaders and promptly handle arising problems based on international law.

They expressed their delights at positive results in the management of Vietnam-China border on land following three legal documents on border, ensuring border stability, security, and social safety and boosting cooperation for border socio-economic development.

They agreed to coordinate in the opening and upgrade of border gates and the application of customs facilitation measures in a bid to develop their border areas.

They also agreed on effective implementation of an agreement on cooperation in protecting and exploiting tourism resources within the Ban Gioc Waterfall vicinity between Vietnam and China. 

On the maritime matter, the two sides affirmed to abide by important common perceptions reached between senior leaders of the two Parties and countries and the “Agreement on basic principles guiding the settlement of Vietnam-China sea-related issues.”

They agreed to promote the settlement of sea issues in line with international law, including the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea 1982, control well differences, satisfactorily deal with issues at sea, not make the situation complicated, while promoting suitable cooperation and jointly maintaining peace and stability at sea.

The Vietnamese side expressed concern over several recent complicated happenings in the East Sea as they did not favour peace, stability and cooperation in the region.

The event positively assessed the results of implementing some projects such as studying and comparing Holocene sediments of the Red River Delta and the Yangtze River Delta; releasing fry and protecting aquatic resources in the Gulf of Tonkin. 

Participants agreed to increase exchanges to sign an agreement on cooperation in search and rescue at sea soon, and restore the hotline for offshore fishing emergencies.

The two sides agreed to continue to firmly speed up the negotiation process on border delineation and win-win cooperation of working groups on issues at sea. Accordingly, the two sides agreed to optimize the Governmental-level negotiation mechanism through annual meetings, increase the number of meetings between the heads of negotiation teams and strengthen negotiation mechanisms of working groups on sea-related issues.

At the same time, the two sides concurred to continue working with ASEAN countries to comprehensively and effectively realize the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) and soon finalise the Code of Conduct in the East Sea in a practical and efficient manner, contributing to maintaining peace and stability in the sea. 

During the event, the Deputy Foreign Ministers held a meeting reviewing the two countries’ ties in 2018, and discussing the focus of exchange and cooperation in 2019 and issues in bilateral relations.

They agreed that the bilateral relations continued growing positively in 2018 and the two sides maintained regular visits and high-level contacts. Exchanges and cooperation among localities and sectors at all levels have been carried out strongly and people-to-people exchanges were increasingly hectic.

The two sides agreed to soundly implement high-level perceptions and agreement; maintain visits and contacts between Party and State leaders; carry out productively exchange and cooperative mechanisms to make it easier for Vietnamese farm produce to enter the Chinese market; and step up cooperative fields with substantial progress in 2019.

They asserted to continue assisting and encouraging localities to boost exchanges and win-win cooperation and well organize friendship activities to contribute to enhancing friendship, mutual trust and understanding between people.

On the occasion, Secretary of the Lao Cai Party Committee Nguyen Van Vinh received the delegations, seeking to increase cooperation between Lao Cai and Yunnan in particular and border localities of the two countries in general.-VNA