BEIJING — Việt Nam and China issued a Joint Communiqué on the occasion of the official January 12-15 visit to China by Party General Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng.

The visit was made at the invitation of Party General Secretary and President of China Xi Jinping.

The Joint Communiqué said that during the visit, the Vietnamese Party chief held talks with Party General Secretary and President of China Xi Jinping, and met with China’s Premier of the State Council Li Keqiang; Chairman of the National People’s Congress of China (NPCC) Standing Committee Zhang Dejiang; Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) Yu Zhengsheng; and Secretary of the Chinese Party Central Committee’s Commission for Discipline Inspection, Wang Qishan.

Party General Secretary Trọng and Chairman of the National Committee of the CPPCC Yu Zhengsheng also attended a friendship meeting celebrating the 67^th anniversary of Việt Nam-China diplomatic ties and the upcoming Lunar New Year.

Besides Beijing, the Vietnamese party chief also visited Zhejiang Province.

The Joint Communiqué said the two sides agreed that the visit was very successful, contributing greatly to enhancing mutual trust, strengthening the traditional friendship, and deepening the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership between the two nations, while helping promote peace, stability and development in the region and the world.

It noted that the two sides signed a number of co-operation documents during the visit.

It said Việt Nam and China are neighbours with long-lasting traditional friendship and both are socialist countries led by communist parties. The two countries share similarities in political regimes and development policies, and faced correlated future. Sustainable development of each country and bilateral friendship and co-operation was of great importance to both nations. In the context of new historical conditions, and the international and regional situations undergoing rapid and complicated changes, the persistence in the leadership of the communist party and the socialist institution is a correct choice that suits the fundamental and long-term interests of both countries and peoples.

Việt Nam and China will stringently pursue the orientation of “friendly neighbours, comprehensive co-operation, long-term stability and looking towards the future” and uphold the spirit of “good neighbours, good friends, good comrades and good partners,” the communiqué said.

The two countries will always develop bilateral relations on the basis of strategic and long-term visions, and follow the major orientations of the Việt Nam-China relationship, the communiqué said.

It said the two countries will maintain mutual respect, promote strategic exchange, enhance political trust, properly solve differences, deepen win-win co-operation, and continually foster stable, healthy development of the Việt Nam-China comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership in order to bring greater benefits for both countries and peoples while contributing more to peace, stability, and prosperity in the region and the world.

The two sides agreed to maintain and strengthen high-level exchanges through various forms including bilateral visits, special envoys, hotlines, annual meetings and meetings on the sidelines of multilateral forums, thus timely exchanging viewpoints on important issues in the relationship between the two Parties and countries, as well as on regional and international situations. Such exchanges would also help define orientations and directing the growth of Việt Nam-China ties in the new period.

Five major areas

The leaders concurred that both Việt Nam and China have entered an important period of socio-economic development, and it was necessary to optimise the overall co-ordinating role of exchange and co-operation mechanisms, such as high-level meetings between the two Parties and the Steering Committee for Bilateral Co-operation, with a focus on improving effectiveness of the partnership in five major areas.

First, they should effectively implement the co-operation plan between the two Parties in the 2016-2020 period, while increasing collaboration between central agencies of the two parties and among Party organisations in localities, especially in provinces and areas along the border.

The two sides should actively promote exchanges and co-operation between the National Assembly of Việt Nam and the National People’s Congress of China, and between the Vietnam Fatherland Front and the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference.

Second, the two countries should strengthen exchanges and co-operation in diplomacy, defence, security and law enforcement.

Third, the two sides should further promote result-oriented partnership in economy and trade, and formulate sound strategic plans for bilateral co-operation. Co-operation in agriculture, environment, science-technology and transportation should also be strengthened.

Fourth, both countries should encourage exchanges and links between the two peoples, especially the youth, using flexible and diverse forms, in order to enhance mutual understanding and friendship. It is also necessary to expand partnerships in culture, education, tourism and media.

Fifth, the two sides should optimise the role of the Việt Nam-China Joint Committee on Land Border and the Committee on Việt Nam-China Land Border Gate Management, while implementing well the legal documents on land borders between the two countries.

Straightforward, sincere

The communiqué said the two sides have discussed sea-related issues in a straightforward and sincere manner. They underlined the need to observe common perceptions reached by leaders of the two Parties and countries, and the “agreement on basic principles guiding the settlement of sea issues between Việt Nam and China.”

The two sides should also make the best use of the governmental-level negotiating mechanisms on border and territory issues, and pursue negotiations and friendly consultations to seek fundamental and long lasting solutions acceptable to both sides, the communiqué added.

It said both sides have agreed to carry out follow-up work after finishing the joint field survey in the area off the mouth of the Gulf of Tonkin while accelerating negotiations on demarcating the area beyond the mouth of the Tonkin Gulf and promoting co-operation for development in the Gulf’s waters. They also agreed to continue to promote the efforts of the working group on co-operation for development at sea, and to effectively step up joint projects in less sensitive fields as agreed previously.

Both sides agreed to continue to fully and effectively implement the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (South China Sea) (DOC), work towards the early formation of a Code of Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (COC) on the basis of consensus and consultation, effectively controlling disputes at sea and avoiding actions that would further complicate or expand disputes, while maintaining peace and stability in the East Sea.

The Vietnamese side affirmed its consistent pursuit of the one-China policy, support for the peaceful development of Cross-Strait relations and China’s great cause of unification, and resolutely opposes actions for an “independent Taiwan” in any form. Việt Nam does not develop any official ties with Taiwan. The Chinese side welcomed Việt Nam’s stance.

Both sides also agreed to boost coordination and co-operation within multilateral frameworks and fora like the United Nations, Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), ASEAN-China and Mekong – Lan Cang, thus working together for maintaining peace, stability and prosperity in the region and the world. - VNA