Vietnamese Ambassador to China Dang Minh Khoi highlighted Vietnam’s achievements and the progress of bilateral ties during a New Year meeting with Chinese media in Beijing on January 7. 


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He briefed the guests about the World Economic Forum on ASEAN held in Hanoi in September 2018 – the most successful event in the past 27 years, Vietnam’s ratification of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement on Trans-Pacific Partnership, acceleration of the Vietnam – European Union Free Trade Agreement signing, negotiations on the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership with China and partners. 

Reviewing the exchange of delegations and outstanding results of bilateral ties in 2018, Khoi said Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc attended the first China International Import Expo in Shanghai and held an important meeting with General Secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and President Xi Jinping. 

The two countries’ leaders agreed to maintain high-level visits and exchanges, strengthen political trust, promote important cooperation mechanisms between the two Parties and countries, and step up cooperation in practical areas. 

Two-way trade was estimated at 150 billion USD, according to the Chinese Customs. Vietnam was the largest trade partner of China in ASEAN in three consecutive years while China became the seventh largest foreign investor in Vietnam out of the 129 countries and territories investing in the nation. 

People-to-people exchange was strengthened with over 12.8 million people travelling across the two countries’ border areas. 

Both sides launched measures to foster trust, including border exchanges between the two defence ministries and exchanges between coast guards, joint patrols, search and rescue via bilateral channel and within ASEAN framework, contributing to raising mutual understanding and political trust. 

On the issues at sea, the ambassador suggested that both sides should continue seriously realising common perceptions by their leaders, the Agreement on Basic Principles guiding the settlement of issues at sea, fully abide by the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) towards reaching a Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC) in line with international law, especially the 1982 Convention on the Law of the Sea, contributing to maintaining peace, stability and security in the region and the East Sea in particular.  

He expressed hope that 2019 will continue to be a successful year of bilateral ties with a number of high-level visits, towards further deepening Vietnam – China comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership. 

The diplomat wished that the Chinese press outlets will work closely with Vietnamese counterparts to objectively cover situation in each country as well as bilateral friendship, especially the potential of bilateral economic and trade ties.-VNA