Deputy Prime Minister cum Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh has affirmed Vietnam’s recognition of high importance to developing a comprehensive strategic partnership with China.

Minh and Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi co-hosted the 7th Meeting of the Vietnam-China Steering Committee for Bilateral Cooperation in Hanoi on October 27.

During the meeting, both sides reviewed bilateral cooperation in various realms since the 6th Meeting in 2013 and set orientations for cooperation in the time to come.

They said the stable and healthy development of the Vietnam- China friendly relations is in line with aspirations and fundamental interests of the two nations for the benefit of regional peace, stability and development.

The two sides will join efforts to fully implement agreements and common perception of senior leaders aiming to constantly consolidate and deepen the Vietnam-China comprehensive strategic partnership.

They agreed to intensify cross-cultural exchanges, effectively realize the action program on the Vietnam-China strategic cooperation and urgently establish joint working groups on infrastructure monetary cooperation to increase bilateral affiliation in related fields.

Minh and his guest also underlined the need to properly implement three documents on land border between Vietnam and China, work together on dealing with problems arising from border management. The two officials said satisfactorily resolving sea-related issues is of great significance for bilateral relations.

Both sides consented to properly implement senior leaders’ common perception based on the agreement on the basic principles guiding the settlement of sea-related issues  between Vietnam and China and promote mechanisms for maritime issue negotiations.

They will conduct joint surveys, thus providing a foundation for accelerating negotiations on demarcation of waters off the Gulf of Tonkin in combination with bolstering cooperation for common development in the waters ​​as agreed by Chinese Premier Li Keqiang at his meeting with Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung in Milan, Italy on October 16 2014.

Both sides consented to properly implement senior leaders’ common perception based on the agreement on the basic principles guiding the settlement of sea-related issues between Vietnam and China and promote mechanisms for maritime issue negotiations.

They will conduct joint surveys, thus providing a foundation for accelerating negotiations on the demarcation of waters off the Gulf of Tonkin in combination with bolstering cooperation for common development in the waters ​​as agreed by Chinese Premier Li Keqiang at his meeting with Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung in Milan, Italy on October 16, 2014.

Deputy PM Minh suggested the two sides should effectively implement agreements reached during the China visit by Special Envoy of the Party Secretary General Le Hong Anh in August 2014 on resuming cooperative exchanges, controlling sea-related disagreements without taking any actions that further complicate and broaden disputes.

Minh emphasized the Vietnamese Party and State’s stance on the East Sea issue while affirming the nation always prioritizes the peaceful settlement of disputes and differences in the East Sea on the basis of respect for the common perception of the two countries’ senior leaders, the basic principles guiding the settlement of sea-related issues between Vietnam and China, international law, particularly  the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOLS)  and the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC).

Councilor Yang Jiechi, in turn, affirmed his nation always treasures ties with Vietnam and is in consistent with friendship and cooperation with the Southeast Asian nation. Thanks to the combined efforts, the two sides have overcome difficulties in recent times.

Yang Jiechi concurred to direct Chinese competent agencies to actively carry out agreements reached at this meeting.

After the meeting, the two co-chairmen witnessed the signing of a minute on the 7th meeting of the Vietnam-China Steering Committee for Bilateral Cooperation.

Earlier on October 25, Deputy Foreign Ministers from both nations met with two General Secretaries of the Committee to discuss preparations for this meeting.

Party leader welcomes Chinese State Councilor

Party leader Nguyen Phu Trong yesterday reiterated Viet Nam's unwavering policy of attaching great importance to friendship and comprehensive co-operation with China.

Meeting with the visiting Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi, Party leader Trong underlined the need to consolidate and boost relations between Viet Nam and China.

He noted that this was a common responsibility for both sides and went with the fundamental and long-term benefits for the two peoples as well as regional and global peace and stability.

The Party chief asked the Viet Nam-China Steering Committee for Bilateral Co-operation to further enhance its guiding role in strengthening the friendship and the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two nations.

At a meeting with Yang Jiechi the same day, President Truong Tan Sang suggested the two countries should focus on effectively carrying out agreements signed by their senior leaders, including an action programme on the Viet Nam-China comprehensive strategic partnership.

The programme calls for urgently establishing a working group on infrastructure co-operation and a working group on monetary co-operation to increase bilateral co-operation in related fields, and boost economic and trade ties.

The President highlighted the importance of maritime issues in bilateral ties. He said this was of concern not only between the two Parties and States, but also between the two peoples. Unless the two Parties and States exercised restraint, the relationship and feelings between the two peoples would be affected.

Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi said the Chinese Party and State treasure and want to forge the neighborliness and comprehensive co-operation with Viet Nam. He stressed the reasonable settlement of disputes would meet the two people's interests and have a positive impact on stability and development in the region.

Vietnam, China extend law enforcement cooperation

The ministries of public security of Vietnam and China agreed to employ practical measures to promote their cooperation in law enforcement during the 4 th conference on bilateral cooperation in crime prevention and control in Beijing on October 27.

Vietnamese Minister of Public Security Tran Dai Quang highlighted the development in collaboration between the two ministries since the third conference in Hanoi on October 2012, which has contributed to security and order in each country as well as bilateral comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership.

Chinese Minister Guo Shengkun thanked the Vietnamese ministry for its close coordination in fighting against terrorism, drug and human trafficking, high-tech frauds, and organised and trans-national crimes, helping guarantee security and order, especially in border areas.

At the conference, the two sides shared the view that their collaboration has been continuously strengthened, proven by the perfection of cooperation mechanisms and the expansion of joint activities.

They have organised a number of meetings on cross-border crime prevention and management of cross-border travel, and jointly conducted crackdowns on crimes.

The Vietnamese and Chinese ministries agreed to focus their cooperation on fighting against organised and trans-national crimes, terrorism, smuggling, counterfeit money, money laundering, the trafficking of weapon, explosive and radioactive materials, and high-tech frauds.

The two sides will also work together in personnel training and technical equipment supply.

The next conference will be held in Vietnam in 2016.

Prior to the conference, the Vietnamese delegation had talks with officers of the Chinese Ministry of Public Security. 

VOV/VNA/VNS