Vietnamese, Chinese Presidents hold talks in Beijing VNA   Vietnamese President Truong Tan Sang on June 19 started a three-day state visit to China at the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping.     Chinese President Xi Jinping welcomes Vietnamese President Truong Tan Sang Following a welcome ceremony at the highest level for a state leader, the Vietnamese and Chinese Presidents held talks in a friendly, straightforward and open atmosphere. The two Presidents reviewed the bilateral ties over the past years in all fields, and exchanged opinions in depth on directions and major measures to further develop the neighbourly friendship and the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership between the two countries. They also discussed international and regional issues of mutual concerns. President Xi Jinping said China attaches great importance to the visit by President Sang and expressed his belief that the visit will create a new momentum for the relationship between the two countries, enhance mutual understanding and trust, as well as mutually-beneficial cooperation between the two parties and nations, and the friendship between the two peoples. He affirmed that China treasures the friendship and cooperation with Vietnam and stressed that the traditional friendship and cooperation between Vietnam and China , which has been nurtured by leaders of both countries, is a precious asset to both parties and nation, and the two sides should inherit and promote it. On his part, President Sang expressed thanks to the Chinese leaders and people for the warm respectful welcome for the Vietnamese delegation. On behalf of the Vietnamese Party, State and people, the President congratulated China for the success of the 18th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party in late 2012 and the first session of the 12th National People’s Congress and the People’s Political Consultative Congress in March, which elected new Party and State leadership of China and mapped out major policies and orientations for the country’s development in the coming time. President Sang conveyed best regards from Vietnam’s Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong to Party General Secretary and President Xi Jinping and other Chinese leaders. He reiterated the Vietnamese Party, State and people’s basic, consistent and long-standing policy of treasuring the friendly neighbourliness and comprehensive cooperation with China . The Vietnamese Party, State and people are willing to make efforts together with the Chinese Party, State and people to lift the Vietnam-China comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership to a new height. Regarding the bilateral relations, the two sides were pleased to note new steps of development in the tie between the two Parties and two countries over the past time. They expressed pleasure at and spoke highly of the signing of an action programme to implement the Vietnam-China strategic cooperative partnership and many other important cooperation documents during this visit. The two sides agreed on the need to further deepen the political trust between the two Parties and two countries; increase high-level visits and contacts; continue accelerating exchanges; effectively implement cooperation contents and agreements between Party agencies, ministries and agencies and localities of the two sides; and boost the exchange between mass organisations, especially those of young people, in order to strengthen education about the friendship and mutual understanding between the two peoples. The two sides need to perfect and bring into full play the important role of bilateral cooperation mechanisms, especially the Steering Committee for Vietnam-China Bilateral Cooperation, and push their practical cooperation to gain new progresses. The two sides agreed to boost mutually-beneficial cooperation in all fields of economics, trade, culture, sports, tourism, education, health care, and science and technology, with a view to constantly enrich the content of the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership between Vietnam and China . President Sang suggested that the two sides should instruct their ministries and sectors to grasp thoroughly and effectively deploy the contents of cooperation agreements inked previously and on the occasion of this visit, continuously improve the quality of cooperation in the trade and economic fields and coordinate effective and drastic measures to maintain the stable growth of bilateral trade while reducing Vietnam’s trade deficit, striving to raise two-way trade to 60 billion USD by 2015. President Sang welcomed and hoped that China will invest in major projects in infrastructure construction, manufacturing, and support industry with modern and advanced technology in Vietnam. The two sides welcomed the signing of a revised agreement on border defence cooperation and the working statutes of the Vietnam-China Joint Committee on land border gate management on the occasion of President Sang’s visit. They said these agreements will increase the efficiency of management cooperation and coordination between the two sides, maintaining security and order and facilitate exchanges and trade activities between the two peoples at border areas, contributing to building a joint border line of peace, stability, cooperation and development. The two sides also discussed in a straightforward manner and agreed to maintain regular exchanges and dialogues on sea issues and seriously carry out the Vietnam-China agreement on basic principles guiding the settlement of sea-related issues. They agreed on settling disputes by peaceful measures based on international law, seeking basic and long-term solutions acceptable to both sides and solving arising issues satisfactorily, not letting them affect the healthy development of the two countries’ relations as well as peace and stability in the East Sea. The two sides agreed to implement comprehensively and effectively the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC), as well as work together to maintain peace and stability in the East Sea. In the time to come, the two sides will actively carry out agreed projects relating to less sensitive fields at sea. President Sang laid special emphasis on the issue of fishing which is closely related to the livelihood and interests of millions of Vietnamese fishermen. He asked that the two sides strengthen coordination to solve this issue satisfactorily to ensure fishermen’s legitimate rights and interests. The President suggested that the Vietnamese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Chinese Ministry of Agriculture coordinate closely in the coming time to implement effectively an agreement on the establishment of a hotline dealing with unexpectedly arising matters relating to sea fishing, which was also signed on this occasion. The two leaders also agreed that their countries need to intensify coordination at multilateral forums, including the United Nations, World Trade Organisation (WTO), Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Forum, Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM), ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), ASEAN-China Summit, East Asia Summit (EAS) and ASEAN Summit plus China, Japan and the Republic of Korea (ASEAN+3), as well as work together to maintain peace, stability and prosperity in the region and the world. On the occasion, President Sang invited Chinese President Xi Jinping and other high-ranking Chinese leaders to visit Vietnam soon. President Xi Jinping accepted the invitation with pleasure, and invited Vietnamese General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and high-ranking Vietnamese leaders to visit China at an appropriate time. After the talks, the two Presidents witnessed the signing of several cooperative documents including: - a joint plan of action between Governments of Vietnam and China on implementing the Vietnam-China comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership, - a border defence cooperation agreement between the two Ministries of Defence, - an agreement between Vietnam’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) and China’s Ministry of Agriculture on the establishment of a hot line on unexpected incidences in fishing operations at sea, - a framework agreement between the two governments on China ’s provision of preferential credit worth 320 million RMB for Vietnam’s railway information system, - a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the two Governments on establishing a cultural centre in each country, - the working statutes of the Vietnam -China Joint Committee on Land Border Gate Management, - an agreement between MARD and China ’s General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine on cooperation in the field of animal and plant quarantine in import-export, - a cooperation plan between the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organisations and China ’s People’s External Friendship Association in the 2013-2017 period. - an agreement on preferential buyer’s credit worth 45 million USD for the Ninh Binh Fine Coal-based Urea Plant project, and the 4 th amendment to an agreement between Vietnam Oil and Gas Corporation (PetroVietnam) and China National Offshore Oil Corporation ( CNO OC) on the joint exploration in agreed offshore areas in the Gulf of Tonkin.