Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (L) meets with General Secretary of the Communist Party of China and President of China Xi Jinping in Beijing on April 25 (Photo: VNA)

Prime Minister Phuc is in Beijing to attend the second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation. The Vietnamese PM appreciated the ongoing development of ties between the two countries, stating that Vietnam consistently pursues a foreign policy of independence, peace, cooperation and development, while attaching importance to promoting the stable, healthy and sustainable development of the Vietnam-China comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership. He said Vietnam welcomes and supports the Belt and Road initiative based on ensuring the principles of peaceful, equal and win-win cooperation, mutual respect and adherence to international law towards the goal of contributing to common development and the prosperity of all countries. 

He proposed the two countries increase the exchange of high-level visits, bolster exchanges and cooperation between their sectors and administrations at all levels, and make effective use of existing cooperative mechanisms from central to local levels. PM Phuc also called for promoting result-oriented cooperation in the fields of diplomacy, national defence and security; expanding people-to-people and youth exchanges; effectively orientating public opinion and the media; and organising activities to mark the 70th founding anniversary of Vietnam-China diplomatic relations. 

The Vietnamese PM suggested that the two countries enhance collaboration in managing and sustainably using water resources of the Mekong River and other rivers that they share; extending the bilateral agreement on the sea fishing hotline; working together in monitoring nuclear safety and continuing to coordinate to  implement the three documents on the Vietnam-China land border. 

Regarding the sea issues, PM Phuc said the two sides should continue to stand by the common understanding and agreements of high-ranking leaders of the two parties and countries and the Vietnam-China agreement on basic principles guiding the settlement of issues at sea, while consistently addressing sea issues by peaceful measures in line with international law, towards making progress on the demarcation of waters off the mouth of the Gulf of Tonkin in 2020. He also held that the two sides should fully and effectively implement the Declaration on the Conduct of the Parties in the East Sea (DOC), and push forward negotiations on the building of a binding Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC) in order to maintain peace and stability in the East Sea. 

Party General Secretary and President of China Xi Jinping sent his regards to Vietnamese Party General Secretary and President Nguyen Phu Trong and welcomed PM Phuc and the Vietnamese delegation to the second Belt and Road Forum, saying that their attendance demonstrates the importance that the Vietnamese Party and State attach to the China-Vietnam ties and contributes to the success of the forum. 

Xi Jinping affirmed that the Chinese Party and State attach importance to the relationship with Vietnam and are of the same mind with Vietnam on maintaining high-level meetings, enhancing political trust, promoting substantive cooperation across all fields, expanding people-to-people exchanges, strengthening the traditional friendship and managing differences for the stable, healthy and sustainable development of the China-Vietnam comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership.  He said China supports Vietnam in promoting its role in multilateral interests, particularly Vietnam’s chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in 2020.