China extends olive branch to Vietnam on sea dispute

Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi (3rd L) holds a meeting with Vietnamese Vice Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh (2nd R) in Vietnam's capital Hanoi on June 18, 2014. (Xinhua/Zhang Jianhua)

Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi held a meeting with Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh in the Vietnamee capital of Hanoi on June 18, 2014. The two countries pledged to rein in maritime tensions during the highest-level direct contact since relations deteriorated in May over a Chinese oil rig operating in the South China Sea.

Yang stressed that the Xisha Islands are an inherent part of Chinese territory, adding that Beijing will "take any necessary measures" to protect its sovereignty and maritime interests.

The rig's operational area was 31 km from the baseline of the Xisha Islands' territorial waters and between 246 km and 289 km from the Vietnamese coast. In the past month, Vietnamese vessels have rammed Chinese ships safeguarding them on more than 1,500 occasions.

Yang urged Vietnam to stop harassing Chinese ships and to ensure the security of Chinese citizens in their country, saying the country should treat seriously the aftermath of the violence, vandalism and arson tht took place in mid-May, referring to riots in Vietnam targeting Chinese-owned businesses.

Yang expressed the hope that Vietnam, together with China, would overcome difficulties and move China-Vietnam relations forward on the right track.

During the meeting, Minh explained Vietnam's stance on the sea dispute, saying Vietnam will comply with the consensus reached by leaders of the two sides on properly handling sensitive issues in bilateral relations.