Vietnam, China review bilateral ties

During his stay in China, Deputy Foreign Minister Le Hoai Trung and several leaders of Guangdong Province compared notes on measures and orientations to promote cooperation between ministries, sectors, and localities of Vietnam and their Guangdong province’s counterparts in the time to come.

Both sides agreed that the relationship between the two nations in 2017 was maintained based on a trend of positive development as a result of regular high-level exchanges and their senior State and Party leaders reaching important common perceptions about the enhancement and development of friendly relations and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and China.

The 10th meeting of the Steering Committee for Vietnam-China Bilateral Cooperation has resulted in the promotion of an important role in coordinating areas of cooperation, increased exchanges at Party levels, and stronger cooperation in diplomacy, national defense and security.

Apart from the organisation of the 11th meeting of the China-Vietnam Steering Committee for Bilateral Cooperation, they also talked about the implementation of mechanisms of exchange and cooperation between the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) and the Communist Party of China (CPC), the Vietnam National Assembly and the National People’s Congress of China, and the Vietnam Fatherland Front and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.

The two sides also scrutinized partnership in diplomacy, national defence and security, economy, trade, investment, tourism, science-technology, transport, agriculture and environment.

They concurred to facilitate the entry of Vietnamese products into China, especially farm produce, milk and dairy products, fruit, seafood, pigs and pork, along with pushing the implementation of China’s credit packages and non-refundable aid to Vietnam.

They will support and encourage Vietnamese and Chinese localities, particularly those along the common border, to strengthen exchanges and cooperation for mutual benefit.

Both greatly valued considerable progress on the shared land border as evidenced by the opening of the Ly Van-Toulong border gate, Bac Luan II Bridge and the freight route connecting Vietnam and China at the Huu Nghi-Youyi Guan gate.

They agreed to work hand in hand in materialising legal documents on land border, contributing to building a common border of peace, stability, friendship and cooperation.

Practical cooperation have achieved remarkable progress as China continues to be Vietnam's largest trading partner while Vietnam is China's largest trading partner in ASEAN, and the number of visitors coming to each nation has showed a drastic upturn.

The two sides were in agreement that maintaining negotiation mechanisms on sea-related issues has helped increase mutual understanding and make substantial progress. In a spirit of frankness and friendship, they exchanged views on matters of shared concern as well as Vietnam's concern about the recent complicated developments in the East Sea.

Deputy Foreign Minister Le Hoai Trung and other leaders of Guangdong province extolled the results of cooperation between ministries, sectors and localities of Vietnam and Guangdong province in 2017.

They consented to further promote the coordination mechanism between the Vietnam Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Guangdong Province's Administration, fully exploit potential and advantages between the two sides, constantly expand mutually beneficial cooperation, especially in economics, trade, investment, tourism, and science and technology.