Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc (L) meets with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang after the 31st ASEAN Summit concluded a plenary session yesterday in Manila, the Philippines. — VNA/VNS Photo Thống Nhất

MANILA – Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc met with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang after the 31st ASEAN Summit concluded a plenary session yesterday in Manila, the Philippines.

PM Phúc extended congratulations to Premier Li on the successful 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and his re-election as member of the CPC’s Politburo Standing Committee. 
PM Phúc noted that joint efforts have helped the two countries make progress in their relations, especially by maintaining regular meetings between leaders. He also thanked China for providing 10 million RMB to help flood victims in Việt Nam. 
During the recent Chinese State visit to Việt Nam and attendance of the APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting in Đà Nẵng by CPC General Secretary and President Xi Jinping, the two sides reached an important common perception on promoting the Vietnam-China comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership in a stable, healthy and sustainable manner, the PM said.
He asked ministries, sectors and localities of the two countries to coordinate closely to enhance the effectiveness of cooperation, increase bilateral trade and take effective measures to boost the balanced and healthy growth of their trade. 
China should continue facilitating the import of goods in Việt Nam’s areas of strength, particularly agro-forestry-fishery products. It should also ensure the progress and quality of China’s investment projects in Việt Nam while encouraging Chinese businesses to step up investment in hi-tech projects in Việt Nam, PM Phúc said. 
He also called on China to bolster ties in finance, agriculture, environment, transport and science-technology. He asked both sides to connect the “Two Corridors and One Economic Belt” framework and conduct the “Belt and Road” initiative well. 
With regard to sea-related issues, the Vietnamese leader applauded ASEAN and China’s consensus on the framework of a Code of Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (COC). He also lauded the two countries’ effective cooperation in less sensitive sea-related fields and the release of fishery resources into the Tonkin Gulf. 
PM Phúc urged both countries comply with important common perceptions reached by their Party and State leaders and the agreement on basic principles guiding the settlement of sea-related issues. 
Việt Nam and China need to persist in settling disputes by peaceful means, in accordance with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. They also need to promote substantive negotiations to build a valid and effective COC, control disagreements well, and maintain peace and stability in the East Sea, he added. 
For his part, Premier Li congratulated Vietnam on successfully organising the 2017 APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting. He affirmed that the Chinese Party, State and people attach great importance to the consolidation and development of the friendship and comprehensive cooperation with Việt Nam. 
The two sides need to thoroughly grasp the sound development orientation for China-Việt Nam relations, increase high-level meetings to discuss strategies and major issues in bilateral ties and continue deepening cooperation in all aspects to ensure mutual benefits. 
Premier Li agreed with PM Phuc about the need for China to take measures to promote balanced trade and continue facilitating the import of Vietnamese goods into China. 
In terms of sea-related matters, he said both sides need to seriously implement the reached common perceptions, manage and control disagreements well, maintain peace and stability at sea and the overall situation of the two countries’ relations, thereby bringing about practical benefits for the two peoples. 
At the meeting, PM Phúc invited Premier Li to visit Vietnam in a near future. The Chinese leader accepted the invitation with pleasure. –VNA