Vietnam and China agree to comprehensively and effectively implement the DOC.

On May 11th, the 6th Session of the Vietnam-China Bilateral Cooperation Steering Committee was held in Beijing, China.

State Councilor Yang Jiechi receives Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Thien Nhan. (Photo: VNA)

Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Thien Nhan, Chairman of the Vietnamese side of the Committee, and Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi, Chairman of the Chinese side of the Committee, co-chaired the meeting. The two sides engaged in in-depth discussions and reached broad common understanding on promoting comprehensive strategic cooperation between Vietnam and China.

During his time in Beijing, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang met with Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Thien Nhan and the Vietnamese delegation.

Both sides agreed that strengthening strategic trust and tightening comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and China is in line with the fundamental and long-term interests of the people of both countries. They agreed to maintain high-level exchanges; fully utilize the role of the Vietnam-China Bilateral Cooperation Steering Committee; promptly discuss and soon sign the "Action Program for Implementing the Vietnam-China Comprehensive Strategic Partnership"; and promote mutually beneficial overall cooperation in various fields.

Both sides agreed to deepen exchanges of experience in Party building and national governance; to successfully organize the 9th Theoretical Seminar between the two Parties; to effectively utilize cooperation mechanisms between ministries and sectors: diplomacy, defense, public security, trade, etc.; and to promote substantive cooperation in the fields of economy and trade, military, law enforcement, security, science, education, culture, health, etc., achieving even more results.

Both sides will actively promote transportation connectivity projects between the two countries, including cooperation projects such as the Bang Tuong-Lang Son-Hanoi Expressway Project... The two sides have signed the Implementation Plan of the Vietnam-China Cultural Agreement for the period 2013-2015 and the Memorandum of Understanding on the List of Cooperation Projects of the 5-Year Development Plan for Vietnam-China Economic and Trade Cooperation for the period 2012-2016.

Both sides affirmed their commitment to seriously implementing the relevant common understanding of the leaders of the two countries and the "Agreement on the Basic Principles Guiding the Resolution of the Maritime Issues between Vietnam and China," through friendly negotiations and consultations to peacefully resolve maritime disputes.

Both sides agreed to intensify negotiations within the Working Group on the area outside the Gulf of Tonkin, steadily advancing negotiations on the delimitation of the maritime area outside the Gulf of Tonkin, and actively discussing cooperation and joint development in this area. They also agreed to effectively utilize the mechanism of the Vietnam-China Expert Working Group on cooperation in less sensitive maritime areas, and to launch three agreed-upon cooperation projects in less sensitive maritime areas.

Both sides agreed to fully and effectively implement the "Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea" (DOC), and to jointly safeguard peace and stability in the South China Sea.

Both sides agreed to take this year – the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the ASEAN-China Strategic Partnership – as an opportunity to comprehensively implement the common understanding reached by ASEAN leaders and Chinese leaders, continuously expanding and deepening cooperation between ASEAN and China in various fields: economy and trade, transportation connectivity, maritime affairs, social and humanities matters, etc.; and to contribute more to peace, stability, and prosperity in the region.

According to (VNA) - LT