Vietnam-China friendship is a valuable asset of the two countries’ Parties, States and people and it needs to be preserved and promoted, said a joint statement between Vietnam and China.

President Tran Dai Quang and General Secretary of the Communist Party of China and President Xi Jinping at the welcome ceremony for the Vietnamese leader in Beijing

The joint statement was issued on the occasion of the State visit to China by State President Tran Dai Quang, his spouse, and a high-ranking Vietnamese delegation to China at the invitation of General Secretary of the Communist Party of China and President Xi Jinping.

During the visit from May 11-15, President Tran Dai Quang attended the high-level forum on the Belt and Road Initiative, in Beijing.

He held talks with President Xi Jinping, and met with Premier Li Keqiang; Zhang Dejiang, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress of China; Yu Zhengsheng, Chairman of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference; and Liu Yunshan, member of the Politburo Standing Committee and Secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee’s Secretariat.

The two sides kept each other updated on the respective Party and national situations and discussed bilateral relations and regional and international issues of mutual concern. They reached an important joint awareness of unceasingly deepening the Vietnam-China comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership, the joint statement said.

Apart from Beijing, President Tran Dai Quang paid a visit to Fujian province, a coastal locality in south-eastern China.

In the context of rapidly changing and complicated regional and international situations, the two countries should be patient, respecting each other, maintaining strategic dialogue, reinforcing political trust, constantly ratcheting up win-win cooperation, managing and handling satisfactorily outstanding disagreements and arising matters, and stepping up the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership in a healthy and stable manner, so to bring substantial benefits to their people, and make positive contributions to promoting peace, stability and prosperity in the region.

The two sides agreed to maintain the tradition of holding close meetings between Party and State leaders in a flexible manner, promptly exchanging viewpoints on big and important issues in bilateral ties and regional and international situations, stepping up the orientating and steering work to the development of bilateral ties, and promoting the role of the Steering Committee on Vietnam-China cooperation in coordinating and speeding up the implementation of the joint perception reached by the countries’ leaders.

The sides also agreed to boost exchanges and cooperation in diplomacy, defence, security and law enforcement.

They reached a consensus on increasing coordination and applying efficient measures to mutually support cooperation in economics-trade, production capacity, investment, infrastructure, finance and monetary issues in a stable, healthy and sustainable fashion.

They were unanimous in accelerating affiliation in agriculture, water resources, environment, science-technology, and transport. 

The countries will be actively pushing for the operation of a hotline dealing with unexpected cases pertaining to sea fishing activities as well as related issues satisfactorily in conformity with their friendship, the joint statement said.

The two sides agreed to expand cooperation in culture, sports, tourism, and education, healthcare, and boost instructions and support for the friendship exchange and win-win cooperation between localities, especially border ones.

They consented to continuously promote the role of the joint committee on land border, soundly execute legal documents on land border, intensify the management over security and order in border areas, press ahead with opening and upgrading pairs of border gates, apply favorable customs clearance procedures, discuss regulations on the opening and operation of roads in border areas, prevent and combat legal infringements, like smuggling and illegal immigration, and maintain social security and order in border areas.

They discussed deeply, sincerely and frankly issues at sea, agreeing to abide by the important perception reached by Party and State leaders and the “Agreement on basic principles guiding the settlement of issues at sea between Vietnam and China”, make the best use of the Governmental negotiating mechanism on boundaries and seek basic and long-lasting solution acceptable to both sides.

They also agreed to soundly carry out the follow-up work of the completed joint survey at the area off the Tonkin Gulf, push the negotiation on the delineation of waters off the Tonkin Gulf, and actively step up cooperation for mutual development in the waters.

The two sides agreed to continue implementing comprehensively and efficiently the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) and soon build a Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC) on the basis of consultation and unity, well manage disputes at sea, take no action that could complicate and expand disputes, and maintain peace and stability in the East Sea.

The Vietnamese side affirmed that it persistently respects the one-China policy, support the peaceful development of cross-strait relations and China’s unification cause, and resolutely oppose to any “Taiwan independence” activities in any form. Vietnam does not develop any official relations with Taiwan. That stance was welcomed by the Chinese side.

The two sides agreed to boost coordination and collaboration in multilateral frameworks, like the United Nations, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum, ASEAN-China, ASEAN-China, Japan and the Republic of Korea (ASEAN 3), and the East Asia Summit (EAS).

They agreed to work together in accelerating regional connectivity and integration, support ASEAN’s unity, solidarity and central role in the evolving regional architecture, and together contribute to preserving peace, stability, and prosperity in the region and the world at large.

The Chinese side vowed to support Vietnam to successfully organize the APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting 2017 and expressed willingness to actively participate in the event.

The Vietnamese side wished that the high-level forum on the Belt and Road will succeed and bring mutual benefits for all countries.

The sides agreed that the visit was successful, helping reinforce mutual trust, and traditional friendship, deepen the Vietnam-China comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership, and contribute constructively to promoting peace, stability, cooperation and sustainable development in the region and the world.

VNA