China reaffirms strong ties with Vietnam

China attaches great importance to developing the friendly and neighbourly relations and mutually beneficial cooperation with Vietnam in all areas, says Vice Premier Li Keqiang.

Li made the confirmation in Hainan on March 31 while receiving his Vietnamese counterpart Hoang Trung Hai who is in the Chinese province for the annual Boao Forum for Asia.

Deputy PM Hoang Trung Hai met with his Chinese counterpart Li Keqiang in Hainan (Photo:VGP)
Li welcomed Hai to the forum, showing the Vietnamese government’s desire to boost economic cooperation in the region, as well as economic and trade ties between China and Vietnam.

Both host and guest acknowledged recent positive developments in bilateral relations, especially following the China visit by Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong (in October 2011) and the Vietnam visit by Vice President Xi Jinping (in December 2011).

They said Vietnam and China should work close together to grasp and seriously realise the common consensus reached by their top leaders aiming to foster the development of the friendly and cooperative relations between the two countries.

They held that both countries should continue to maintain high-level contacts and visits, considering them a decisive factor in strengthening bilateral relations.

They proposed that relevant Vietnamese and Chinese agencies identify and sign the list of joint cooperation projects in the 2011-2015 period to be implemented as soon as possible in order to raise two-way trade revenue to US$60 billion in 2015.

Regarding sea-related issues, Vietnamese Deputy PM Hoang Trung Hai emphasised that both sides need to seriously realise the common consensus by their top leaders and the agreement on basic principles guiding the settlement of marine issues between Vietnam and China so as to reasonably resolve disputes and pending issues at sea.

Hai also requested China to unconditionally release two fishing vessels and 21 Vietnamese fishermen seized by China, and not to take action to further complicate the situation.  

The same day, the Vietnamese leader met with the Secretary of the Hainan provincial Party Committee, who noted that trade, investment and economic ties between Hainan and Vietnamese localities have grown rapidly, with two-way trade last year increasing by 50 percent.

However, the Party Secretary said that Hainan and Vietnam have great potential for stronger cooperation and that the Chinese province wants to increase friendly exchanges and mutually beneficial cooperation with Vietnam.

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