Vietnam and China issued a joint communiqué on September 14 on the occasion of the official visit to China by Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc. 


Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (L) and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang


The joint communiqué said the visit from September 10-15 was made at the invitation of Chinese Premier Li Keqiang. During the trip, PM Phuc met with Chinese Party General Secretary and President Xi Jinping and had talks with Premier Li. He also had meetings with Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress Zhang Dejiang and Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference Yu Zhengsheng. 

In a friendly, sincere and straightforward manner, the two sides informed each other about the situation of their respective Parties and countries. They exchanged viewpoints and reached common perceptions on the intensification of the Vietnam-China comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership, along with international and regional issues of shared concern. 

PM Phuc also visited the 13th China-ASEAN Expo and China-ASEAN Business and Investment Summit in Nanning city, the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. 

The two sides expressed their delight at the respective countries’ socio-economic development attainments. They agreed that the Vietnam-China friendship is a precious asset shared by the two Party, countries and people which needs to be preserved and promoted. 

Amidst complex international and regional developments, Vietnam and China will persistently respect each other, increase strategy exchanges and political trust, and deepen win-win cooperation, while satisfactorily controlling and settling existing disagreements and arising problems. They will bolster the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership towards healthy and stable development, thereby practically benefiting the two peoples as well as peace, stability and prosperity in the region. 

They will also maintain close contacts between senior leaders of the two Parties and nations, timely exchange viewpoints on major matters pertaining to bilateral relations and international and regional problems, and enhance steering the development of bilateral ties. 

The Vietnamese and Chinese leaders concurred in fostering cooperation in diplomacy, defence, security and law enforcement. They agreed to take effective measures to develop bilateral economic, trade and investment ties in a stable and healthy fashion, according to the joint communiqué. 

Collaboration in agriculture, environment, science-technology and transport will be reinforced. While the use of the hotline for unexpected fishery incidents arising at sea will be promoted, the discussion on ways to satisfactorily deal with related problems will be maintained. 

The two sides were also unanimous in expanding cooperation in culture, education, sports and tourism, and strengthening friendship exchanges and mutually beneficiary cooperation between Vietnamese and Chinese localities, especially border ones. 

They will further promote the role of the Vietnam-China land border joint committee, implement bilateral legal documents on land border soundly, press on with managing and ensuring social order and safety in border areas, continue opening and upgrading border gates, and facilitate customs clearance and the development of their border areas. 

At the meetings, the two sides sincerely and straightforwardly looked into sea-related issues. They agreed to continue complying with the important common perceptions reached by leaders of the two Parties and nations, along with the agreement on basic principles guiding the settlement of sea-related issues. 

Vietnam and China agreed to push ahead with comprehensively and effectively carrying out the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the Eat Sea (DOC) and expeditiously build a Code of Conduct (COC) in the waters. They will manage sea disputes efficiently, avoid actions that can complicate or expand disputes, and maintain peace and stability in the East Sea. 

Vietnam supports the One-China policy, determinedly opposes any activity that seeks an independent Taiwan, and does not develop any official relations with Taiwan. The Chinese side welcomed that stance of Vietnam. 

Both sides also agreed to beef up coordination in multilateral aspects and, together, ensure peace, stability and development in the region and the world. While China supports Vietnam to successfully organise the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit in 2017, Vietnam also said it supports and will actively participate in relevant international meetings held by China. 

During the visit, the two sides ink a number of agreements and cooperation documents. 

In the joint communiqué, they said they are pleased with the outcomes of the China visit by the Vietnamese PM and believed that the trip is important to the reinforcement of bilateral ties.

VNA