Joint Statement on Vietnam-China Comprehensive Strategic Cooperation

The two sides exchanged views and reached broad consensus on deepening the Vietnam-China comprehensive strategic cooperation.

1. At the invitation of Prime Minister of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam Nguyen Tan Dung, Premier of the State Council of the People's Republic of China Li Keqiang paid an official visit to the Socialist Republic of Vietnam from October 13 to 15, 2013.

During the visit, Premier Li Keqiang held talks with Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung; met with General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, President Truong Tan Sang, and National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung. In an atmosphere of sincerity, friendship, and mutual understanding, the two sides had in-depth exchanges of views and reached broad common understanding on deepening the Vietnam-China comprehensive strategic cooperation in the new situation, as well as the current international and regional situation and issues of mutual concern.

2. The two sides reviewed and highly appreciated the development of Vietnam-China relations, affirming that they will follow the important common perceptions reached by the two countries' senior leaders, develop the Vietnam-China comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership under the motto of "friendly neighbors, comprehensive cooperation, long-term stability, looking towards the future" and the spirit of "good neighbors, good friends, good comrades, good partners".

The two sides agreed that, in the current complicated international economic and political situation, the two sides should strengthen strategic exchanges, deepen substantive cooperation, properly handle existing issues, enhance coordination and collaboration on international and regional issues, and promote healthy and long-term stable development of bilateral relations in accordance with the fundamental interests of the two Parties, two countries and two peoples, which is beneficial to peace, stability and development of the region as well as the world.

3. The two sides highly appreciated the important and irreplaceable role of high-level contacts between the two countries and agreed to continue to maintain high-level contacts and visits, starting from a strategic height to grasp the direction of development of bilateral relations in the new period. At the same time, promote high-level exchanges through various forms such as meetings on the sidelines of multilateral forums, make good use of hotlines between high-ranking leaders to discuss in depth important issues in bilateral relations as well as issues of mutual concern.

4. The two sides agreed to continue to make good use of the mechanism of the Vietnam-China Bilateral Cooperation Steering Committee, promote overall mutually beneficial cooperation in all fields; effectively implement the "Action Program to implement the Vietnam-China Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership"; effectively utilize the mechanisms of exchange and cooperation between the diplomatic, defense, economic and trade, public security, security, press sectors of the two countries and between the Central Foreign Affairs Commission and the Propaganda Commission of the two Parties; effectively organize the Vietnam-China Bilateral Cooperation Steering Committee Meeting, the Crime Prevention Cooperation Conference, the Economic and Trade Cooperation Committee Meeting, the Theoretical Workshop between the two Parties; effectively carry out tasks such as the annual Diplomatic Consultation, the Security - Defense Consultation, and extensive training for Party and State officials; Effectively use the direct telephone line between the Ministry of National Defense, strengthen the correct orientation of the press and public opinion..., contributing significantly to enhancing trust between the two sides, maintaining stable development of bilateral relations.

5. The two sides believe that Vietnam and China are neighbors and important partners of each other, both are in a key period of socio-economic development. Based on the common needs and interests of the two countries, on the basis of equality and mutual benefit, the two sides agreed to deepen comprehensive strategic cooperation with a focus on the following areas:

a. On land cooperation

(i) The two sides agreed to promptly implement the “5-year development plan for Vietnam-China economic and trade cooperation in the 2012-2016 period” and the list of key cooperation projects; establish a Working Group on infrastructure cooperation between the two countries to plan and direct the implementation of specific projects; soon reach an agreement on the implementation plan and capital mobilization for the Lang Son-Hanoi expressway project in order to start construction soon. The two sides will actively promote the Mong Cai-Ha Long expressway project, the Chinese side supports capable Chinese enterprises to participate in this project according to market principles, and is ready to support capital mobilization within its capacity.

The relevant ministries and sectors of the two countries will speed up their work and soon launch a feasibility study for the Lao Cai - Hanoi - Hai Phong railway project. The two sides agreed to effectively implement the "Memorandum of Understanding on the Construction of Cross-Border Economic Cooperation Zones" and actively study and negotiate the signing of the "Vietnam - China Border Trade Agreement" (amended) to play a positive role in promoting cooperation and prosperity in the border areas of the two countries.

(ii) The two sides agreed to strengthen coordination of economic and trade policies, effectively implement the "Memorandum of Understanding on Bilateral Cooperation in the Field of Agricultural Products Trade" and the "Agreement on Opening Trade Promotion Agencies of One Country in the Other Country", to promote bilateral trade balance on the basis of ensuring stable trade growth, striving to achieve ahead of schedule the target of two-way trade turnover reaching 60 billion USD by 2015.

The Chinese side encourages Chinese enterprises to expand the import of competitive goods from Vietnam, supports Chinese enterprises to invest and do business in Vietnam, and is ready to create more favorable conditions for Vietnamese enterprises to expand their market in China. The Vietnamese side will facilitate and support the early completion of Long Giang Industrial Park and An Duong Industrial Park. The two sides will speed up the construction and promote the early completion of the Vietnam-China Friendship Palace project.

(iii) The two sides agreed to deepen cooperation in the fields of agriculture, science and technology, education, culture, sports, tourism, health, etc.

(iv) The two sides agreed to continue promoting the role of the Joint Land Border Committee between the two countries, seriously implementing the Annual Work Plan; holding the First Meeting of the Joint Border Management Committee between the two countries, promoting the opening and upgrading of a number of land border gate pairs, and soon officially opening the Hoanh Mo - Dong Trung national border gate pair; promoting negotiations on the "Agreement on cooperation in protecting and exploiting tourism resources in the Ban Gioc waterfall area" to soon achieve substantial progress, soon starting a new round of negotiations and reaching an agreement on the "Agreement on free movement of ships in the Bac Luan estuary area", soon completing the construction of cross-border bridges such as Bac Luan 2 road bridge, Ta Lung - Thuy Khau 2 road bridge, creating a foundation for the stability and development of the border area of ​​the two countries.

The two sides agreed to further strengthen cooperation between localities, especially between provinces and border autonomous regions of the two countries; and promote the role of relevant cooperation mechanisms between localities of the two countries.

b. On monetary cooperation

The two sides agreed to strengthen cooperation in the financial sector, actively facilitate and encourage financial institutions of both sides to support financial services for bilateral cooperation projects on trade and investment. On the basis of the Agreement on Bilateral Payment in Local Currency in Border Trade signed between the central banks of the two countries in 2003, continue to study the expansion of the scope of payment in local currency, promote bilateral trade and investment exchanges. The two sides decided to establish a Working Group on Monetary Cooperation between the two countries, to enhance the ability to prevent financial and monetary risks of both sides, maintain stability and economic development of the two countries and the region. Strengthen multilateral coordination and cooperation, jointly promote financial and monetary cooperation in the East Asia region.

c. On maritime cooperation

The two sides agreed to abide by the common perception of the high-ranking leaders of the two Parties and two countries, seriously implement the "Agreement on basic principles guiding the settlement of Vietnam-China maritime issues", make good use of the Government-level negotiation mechanism on Vietnam-China territorial borders, persistently seek fundamental and long-term solutions acceptable to both sides through friendly consultation and negotiation, actively study transitional solutions that do not affect the stance and policies of each side, including actively studying and discussing the issue of cooperation for mutual development. In that spirit, the two sides agreed to establish a Working Group to discuss cooperation for mutual development at sea within the framework of the Government-level Negotiation Delegation on Vietnam-China territorial borders.

The two sides agreed to strengthen the direction of existing negotiation and consultation mechanisms, increase the working intensity of the Working Group on the Sea Area Beyond the Gulf of Tonkin and the Expert-Level Working Group on Cooperation in Less Sensitive Areas at Sea. Based on the principle of easy first, difficult later, gradually and steadily promote negotiations on the delimitation of the sea area beyond the Gulf of Tonkin, while actively promoting cooperation for mutual development in this sea area and this year launching a joint survey in the area beyond the Gulf of Tonkin to carry out the negotiation tasks of the Working Group on the Sea Area Beyond the Gulf of Tonkin.

Quickly implement cooperation projects in less sensitive areas at sea such as Cooperation in research on marine and island environment management in the Gulf of Tonkin, Comparative research on Holocene sediments in the Red River Delta and the Yangtze River Delta, etc., continue to promote cooperation in the fields of marine environmental protection, marine scientific research, search and rescue at sea, disaster prevention and maritime traffic connection.

The two sides agreed to control well the disagreements at sea, not to take actions that complicate or expand the disputes, to make good use of the hotline for management and control of disputes at sea between the two countries' Foreign Ministries, the hotline for sudden incidents arising in fishing activities at sea between the two countries' Agriculture Ministries, to promptly and satisfactorily handle arising issues, and to continue to actively exchange and seek effective measures to control disputes, maintain the overall situation of Vietnam-China relations and peace and stability in the East Sea.

6. The two sides agreed to well organize activities such as the second Vietnam-China Youth Festival, Vietnam-China Youth Friendship Meeting, Vietnam-China People's Festival, etc., to foster more and more generations to continue the Vietnam-China friendship cause. The two sides agreed to establish Confucius Institutes in Vietnam and accelerate the establishment of cultural centers of one country in the other, practically strengthen the propaganda of Vietnam-China friendship, and deepen the understanding and friendship between the people of the two countries.

7. The Vietnamese side affirms its firm adherence to the one-China policy, supports the peaceful development of cross-strait relations and the great cause of China's unification, and resolutely opposes any form of "Taiwan independence" separatist actions. Vietnam will not develop any official relations with Taiwan. The Chinese side welcomes Vietnam's above stance.

8. The two sides agreed to strengthen coordination and cooperation at multilateral forums such as the United Nations, the World Trade Organization, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum, the Asia-Europe Cooperation Forum, the ASEAN Regional Forum, the ASEAN-China Summit, the ASEAN+3 Summit with China, Japan and Korea, the East Asia Summit, etc., and work together to maintain world peace, stability and prosperity.

The two sides highly appreciated the great achievements in the development of ASEAN-China relations and agreed to take the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the ASEAN-China strategic partnership as an opportunity to further enhance strategic trust. The Vietnamese side welcomed China's proposal to sign the "Treaty on Good-Neighborly Friendship and Cooperation between ASEAN and China", upgrade the ASEAN-China Free Trade Area, and establish the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank. The extensive cooperation between ASEAN and China plays an extremely important role in promoting peace, stability, mutual respect and trust in the Southeast Asian region.

The two sides agreed to fully and effectively implement the “Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea” (DOC), enhance trust, promote cooperation, and jointly maintain peace and stability in the East Sea, in accordance with the spirit and principles of the “Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea” (DOC), on the basis of consensus, and strive towards the adoption of the “Code of Conduct in the East Sea” (COC).

9. During the visit, the two sides signed the “Agreement on the opening of Trade Promotion Agencies of one country in the other country”, “Memorandum of Understanding on the construction of cross-border economic cooperation zones”, “Memorandum of Understanding on the establishment of a Joint Working Group to support projects implemented by Chinese enterprises in Vietnam”, “Agreement on the construction of the Ta Lung - Thuy Khau 2 road bridge” and the accompanying protocol, “Project for cooperation in research on marine and island environment management in the Gulf of Tonkin”, “Project for comparative research on Holocenne sediments in the Red River Delta and the Yangtze River Delta”, “Agreement on the establishment of the Confucius Institute at Hanoi University” and a number of economic cooperation documents.

10. The two sides expressed satisfaction with the results of Chinese Premier Li Keqiang's visit to Vietnam, agreeing that this visit is of great significance to promoting the development of bilateral relations and practical cooperation in various fields./.

According to vov.vn - LT