The 11th meeting of the China-Vietnam Steering Committee for Bilateral Cooperation was held in Ho Chi Minh City on Sunday, with both sides pledging to promote bilateral practical cooperation in various fields for more fruitful outcomes.
The meeting was co-chaired by Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh.
Wang said that the top leaders of the two parties and the two countries conducted historic exchange of visits last year, and made top-level design and strategic plans for the overall enhancement of bilateral comprehensive strategic cooperation, charting the course for the development of China-Vietnam ties in the new era.
Over the past year, China-Vietnam relationship has progressed in a steady manner, with smooth operation of dialogue mechanism, fruitful outcomes in practical cooperation, and advancement in cultural and people-to-people exchanges as well as border provinces' cooperation, he said.
The Chinese state councilor called on both sides to take as the main line the further implementation of the important outcomes achieved by the top leaders of the two parties and the two countries during their exchange of visits, strengthen guidance of their respective departments and localities, and jointly plan for bilateral exchanges and cooperation across-the-board, so as to deepen their comprehensive strategic cooperation.
Wang suggested both sides stick to the strategic guidance for high-level exchanges, continuously build up consensus, deepen mutual trust and well grasp the right direction of bilateral ties.
He also called on both sides to adhere to the mutually beneficial and win-win arrangement of cooperation, promote cooperation in infrastructure and industrial capacity, and advance the building of cross-border economic cooperation zones at an early date, and explore new ideas and ways for cooperation and work for the sustainable growth of mutually beneficial cooperation.
Both sides should continue to secure more favourable public opinion and do more to promote understanding and affinity between the two peoples, Wang said.
The two countries should also properly resolve their differences, steadily move forward maritime cooperation from a long-term perspective, and translate the shared strategic interests of the two countries into a driving force to move forward practical cooperation, Wang added.
For his part, Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh said since last year's meeting between the top leaders of the two countries, Vietnam-China relationship has been maintaining a positive momentum, and high-level exchanges between the two parties and the two countries have been going on frequently, contributing greatly to the traditional friendship, management and control of differences, and the healthy and steady development of bilateral ties.
Now bilateral trade volume has reached historical high, cooperation in all fields has made substantial advances, non-governmental exchanges and regional cooperation have been expanded, boundary territorial issues have generally been managed and controlled effectively, Pham added.
Both sides also agreed to improve the work of the Steering Committee for Bilateral Cooperation, further strengthen coordination and planning, and push the pragmatic cooperation in every field to bear more fruits.
Wang said the most active way to manage and control maritime disputes is to discuss joint exploration, and the best remembrance of the 10th anniversary of settling and monumentalizing the land boundary between China and Vietnam is to establish cross-border economic cooperation zones at an early date.
