Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Minh Vu. File photo: VNA

At a meeting in Ho Chi Minh City, the two agreed to step up high-level exchanges, contacts and visits, effectively implement cooperation mechanisms between the two Parties, and organize the 16th meeting of the Vietnam-China Steering Committee for Bilateral Cooperation. The two sides will also enhance collaboration in national defense, security, external affairs, culture, education, tourism, and people-to-people exchanges, and expand cooperation in economics, trade, and transport connectivity. They will work together to better manage their border, and resolve border issues in line with their agreements.

Deputy Minister Vu, who is also Secretary General of the Steering Committee for Vietnam-China Bilateral Cooperation, suggested that the two sides improve road and railway connections between Vietnam’s northern provinces and China’s southern and southwestern regions. He called on China to expand its import of Vietnamese agricultural and aquatic products and facilitate the establishment of Vietnamese trade promotion offices in Haikou, Chengdu, and Nanjing.

Mr. Vu also suggested that the two countries strengthen water resource cooperation to effectively and sustainably use Mekong River water in the best interests of all parties.

The two sides agreed to effectively implement high-level shared perceptions and their agreement on the basic principles of settling maritime issues. They will work together with ASEAN countries to fully and effectively implement the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC), striving to soon achieve an effective and substantive Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC) in accordance with international law, especially the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (1982 UNCLOS).

Deputy Minister Vu said the two sides should respect each other's sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction established in line with international law, prevent complications that might affect their relationship, and handle issues regarding fishing vessels and fishermen to maintain peace and stability in the region.