Beijing and Hanoi pledge to properly settle disputes

China and Vietnam have pledged to properly settle maritime disputes and develop bilateral military relations during high-level meetings that stretched across three days, in a development that analysts say may temporarily ease tensions.

"A neighboring country cannot be moved away," said Fan Changlong, vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission, to Vietnamese Defense Minister Phung Quang Thanh. "It is in the common interest of China and Vietnam to live in amity, handle disputes properly and promote common development."

Thanh paid a visit to China on Friday with 16 senior Vietnamese officials and also held talks with Chinese Vice President Li Yuanchao and his Chinese counterpart Chang Wanquan on Friday.

Chang said the visit showed the positive political will from the Vietnamese side in pushing for the improvement of bilateral ties.

However, Zhao Gancheng, director of South Asia Studies at the Shanghai Institute for International Studies, told the Global Times that it was a typical approach from Hanoi towards China during a diplomatic crisis, wielding both the carrot and the stick.

"Dispatching the delegation to China may defuse bilateral tensions temporarily, but is unlikely to resolve the disputes fundamentally as Vietnam has taken a stance of all-out confrontation against China over essential issues," said Zhao.

The bilateral relationship has been strained since this year due to Vietnam continuously and illegally disturbing Chinese company's normal oil drilling in waters near the Xisha Islands in the South China Sea.

In his meeting with Fan, Thanh vowed joint efforts with China to strengthen the two countries' unity and cooperation, address and control disputes, and cement the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership.

Vice President Li Yuanchao said during the meeting that both should boost mutual political trust and promote the joint development of the seas.

Xinhua contributed to this story