Hanoi (VNA)– Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son received ChineseAssistant Minister of Foreign Affairs Nong Rong, who is also SecretaryGeneral of the China - Vietnam Steering Committee for Bilateral Cooperation, inHanoi on February 5.

The host expressedhis delight at the sound development and historic achievements of the twocountries’ relations since the visit to China by Party General Secretary NguyenPhu Trong in late October 2022 and the trip to Vietnam by Party GeneralSecretary and President of China Xi Jinping in December 2023.

He emphasised theimportance and practicality of bilateral coordination in implementing thehigh-level joint statements in a strong, effective, and substantive manner forthe sake of businesses, localities, and people.

Welcoming Nong’sopinions and proposals on some orientations and measures for promotingbilateral ties, the Vietnamese minister recommended the two foreign ministries continuebringing into play their role as the standing bodies of the two countries’steering committees for bilateral cooperation, and properly carry out the twoforeign ministries’ agreement on further intensifying cooperation in the newperiod. He asked them to focus on properly organising exchanges and meetings atall levels in 2024, boosting the connection of development strategies, and steppingup result-oriented partnerships.

Son called on China toincrease importing goods and farm produce from Vietnam, coordinate to tackleproblems of some joint projects, foster sustainable tourism cooperation,facilitate people-to-people exchanges and locality-to-locality ties, and maintainopinion sharing and coordination at multilateral mechanisms and forums.

For his part,Assistant Minister Nong said his working visit to Vietnam aims for in-depth andcomprehensive discussion between the two foreign ministries about measures,orientations, and tasks for enhancing bilateral relations in accordance withthe common perceptions reached between the countries’ leaders.

Informing his host of the outcomes of his meeting with the SecretaryGeneral of the Vietnam - China Steering Committee for Bilateral Cooperation onFebruary 4, he affirmed that China wishes and is ready to join Vietnameseagencies in maintaining opinion sharing, coordinating closely, and promotinghigh-level strategic discussion by properly arranging bilateral visits andmeetings between the countries’ Party and State leaders.

China is also ready toenhance collaboration in such fields as diplomacy, defence, and security; and continue to reinforce result-oriented cooperation in different spheres,particularly the connection of development strategies, transport infrastructure,trade facilitation, people-to-people friendship exchanges, andlocality-to-locality links, he added.

With regard to sea-related issues,both sides underscored the importance of seriously implementing the agreementsand common perceptions on the better control and settlement of sea-relateddifferences reached by senior leaders of the two Parties and the two countries,fully and effectively implementing the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties inthe East Sea (DOC), and promoting substantive progress in the negotiations on acode of conduct (COC) in the waters.

Minister Son asked thetwo sides to respect each other’s legitimate interests, in line withinternational law, especially the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law ofthe Sea, to help maintain regional peace, stability, and development./.