Vietnam and China agree to develop bonds

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

China and Vietnam have pledged to properly manage maritime issues to create a good atmosphere for the development of bilateral relations.

The pledge was made in Luang Prabang, Laos, on Sunday at a meeting between Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Pham Binh Minh, Vietnamese deputy prime minister and minister for foreign affairs.

Wang said the leaders of the two countries had exchanged historic visits last year which had led to top-level designs for the development of a comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership.

China and Vietnam should fully implement the strategic consensus reached between the leaders of the two countries so as to lay a solid foundation for the development of bilateral ties, said Wang.

China and Vietnam have far more common interests than differences.

The two sides should continue to promote strategic mutual trust and deepen strategic cooperation which serves the fundamental interests of the two countries and the two peoples, Wang noted.

Looking forward to the new year, Wang said the two sides should keep the positive momentum of exchanges at a high-level, fully explore the tremendous potential of economic and trade cooperation, speed up the strategic connection between China’s Belt and Road Initiative and Vietnam’s Two Corridors and One Economic Circle plan, and push forward cooperation projects on connectivity and communication so as to achieve substantial progress.

China is willing to strengthen communication and coordination with Vietnam within the framework of the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Mechanism and further enrich the content of the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership, Wang said.

For his part, Pham Binh Minh said development of the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership between the two sides has resulted in satisfactory achievements in 2018, with close exchanges conducted at all levels, two-way trade expanded and the structure of trade becoming balanced.

Vietnam is ready to work together with China to make good preparations for high-level exchanges next year, make good use of the mechanisms of bilateral cooperation and coordination as well as conduct closer communication and coordination on Lancang-Mekong cooperation.

This will further advance the development of the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership between the two countries.

Both Wang Yi and Pham Binh Minh will attend the fourth Lancang-Mekong Cooperation foreign ministers’ meeting to be held in Luang Prabang on Monday.