Vietnam, China hold high-level talks Party leader Nguyen Phu Trong and General Secretary of the Communist Party of China and President Xi Jinping have compared notes on the state of affairs between the two nations as well as measures to further strengthen bilateral relationship in the future. The General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Nguyen Phu Trong and a high-ranking Vietnamese delegation landed at the Beijing International Airport on January 12, beginning an official visit to China at the invitation of General Secretary of the Communist Party of China and President Xi Jinping.  An official welcoming ceremony for Party leader Nguyen Phu Trong and the Vietnamese delegation was held at the People’s Great Hall.  Following the welcome ceremony, the two leaders held talks on ways to strengthen bilateral relationship between the two Parties and countries in the near future.  Party leader Trong said, “I’m very happy to visit China and meet the Party leader and President Xi Jinping. On behalf of the high-ranking Vietnamese  delegation, I would like to express our sincere thank to the Chinese leaders for their warm welcome. On behalf of the Vietnamese Party and State, I would like to congratulate China’s great achievements in its cause of reform and building socialism with Chinese characteristics, especially its achievements since the 18th Congress of the Communist Party of China." General Secretary Xi warmly welcomed General Secretary Trong on his first China visit after the 12th Party Congress, saying the visit helps deepen Vietnam-China relations. He congratulated the CPV on its successful 12th Congress, while praising Vietnam’s attainments in all fields. He displayed his belief that the Vietnamese people will soon turn Vietnam into a modern, industrial country with wealth, democracy, justice, civilization, and socialism.   He affirmed his nation's recognition of great importance to ties with Vietnam and stands ready to work with the Party, State and people of Vietnam in strengthening the bilateral friendship and partnership, making the Vietnam-China comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership grow in a healthy and stable manner and to the previously agreed motto and spirit. Party leader Trong in turn congratulated China on its important achievements in reform and building the socialism with Chinese characteristics, expressing his wish that the Party, Government and people of China will successfully accomplish the target of building a well-off, democratic, civilized and harmonious socialist China. He affirmed that Vietnam always places importance on the ties with China and sincerely wishes to develop the sustainable friendship and win-win comprehensive cooperation with China for the sake of their people as well as peace, and prosperity in the region and the world. The two leaders expressed delight at the vigorous growth of ties and positive progress of the relations between the two Parties and countries over the past years. In the context of crisis and uncertainties occurring in many places around the world, the stable development and achievements of both countries are important to the two countries’ people, they said. Both sides concurred to continuously maintain high-ranking exchanges and meetings between leaders of the two Parties and States to promptly exchange views and deal with issues arising in bilateral ties as well as make strategic orientations and directions to augment cooperation, maintain friendship and develop Vietnam-China ties in a healthy and stable manner. The pair also consented to promote and improve existing collaboration mechanisms between the two Parties and countries, especially meetings between representatives of the two Politburos, the Steering Committee for the Vietnam-China bilateral cooperation for strengthening the full implementation of bilateral agreements. They shared the viewpoint on the importance of intensifying exchanges and cooperation in Party channel as well as among the two Parties’ agencies, the two parliaments and fatherland fronts, as well as stronger affiliation in diplomacy, defence, security and between border guard and law enforcement forces of the two countries. The two countries should also show close coordination at multilateral forums, while providing mutual support in international organisations. The Chinese President pledged that China will do its utmost to assist Vietnam in hosting the APEC Summit 2017, while the Vietnamese side affirmed support to China in organising an international cooperation summit on “One Belt, One Road” in 2017. The two leaders reach consensus on the significance of forging stronger win-win partnership in economy, trade, investment and other fields for rapid and sustainable growth of each country, creating a solid foundation for the development of bilateral ties. Both sides will urge ministries, sectors, localities and businesses to focus on timely and effectively realize agreed plans, programmes and projects, while applying measures to maintain bilateral trade growth in a more stable and balanced manner. China will work harder to make Vietnam-China trade ties grow faster and become more balance, vowed Xi, who also promised to create favourable conditions for Vietnam to launch trade representative offices in Chinese localities. He pledged to encourage Chinese firms to bolster imports of Vietnamese agro-forestry-fisheries products, such as rice, cassava, dairy products and processed fruits and implement high technology and environmental-friendly projects in Vietnam. The two leaders agreed to expand cooperation in science-technology, agriculture, environment, climate change response, while considering the extension of affiliation in running a hotline to receive complaints on arising problems in fisheries activities at sea, and strengthening the coordination in managing, protecting and exploiting Mekong-Lancang River and Red River-Yuan River water resources sustainably.  They also agreed to discuss principles and specific contents of a master plan on the building of Vietnam-China cross-border economic cooperation zones, so that the deal will be signed soon. Vietnam and China will enhance partnership in improving production capacity and strengthening the connection between the “Two Corridors, One Economic Belt” and One Belt, One Road” initiatives to match the demand, benefit and development strategy of each country. The leaders stressed the importance of the friendship between the two people, saying it is a source of power and a social foundation to spur Vietnam-China relations in a sound, long lasting and sustainable manner. They agreed that exchange activities between the two people, especially among youngsters and localities should be further propelled forward. Concerning the issues at sea, the two Party leaders shared the view that this is the major outstanding problem existed in Vietnam-China relations and the issue is very complicated and vital, hugely affecting and governing the political trust, people’s sentiments, the state of the two countries’ relations, as well as the face and situation in the region and the world. General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong asserted Vietnam’s consistent stance of persistently dealing with the dispute in the East Sea by peaceful measures in compliance with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and with respect to diplomatic and legal processes; fully and efficiently executing the “Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC)” and  striving together with ASEAN to soon accomplish a “Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC)”. The leaders underlined the need to comply with the important conception reached by the two countries’ Party and State leaders and the “agreement on basic principles guiding the settlement of sea issues between Vietnam and China”; optimize the negotiating mechanism to seek fundamental and long lasing solutions acceptable to both sides; actively study transitional solutions that do not affect the respective country’s stance and policy, including active seeking and discussing an issue of cooperation for mutual development. They agreed to boost cooperation at sea with a view to generating positive signals beneficial to the two countries’ relations; soundly accomplish follow-up works following the completion of the joint survey conducted at the waters off the mouth of the Tonkin Gulf, thus accelerating negotiations on the delineation of the waters off the mouth of the Tonkin Gulf and active cooperation for mutual development in this waters; continuously step up the working group in charge of discussing cooperation for mutual development at sea; and carry out cooperation projects in the less sensitive fields as agreed. They affirmed that the two sides will continue implementing the DOC comprehensively and efficiently and soon formulate the COC on the basis of consultation and unanimity; well manage sea-related disagreements, and take no actions that complicate and expand the dispute to protect peace and stability in the East Sea. On behalf of the Party and State of Vietnam, Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong invited Party General Secretary and President Xi Jinping to pay an official visit to Vietnam and attend the APEC Summit 2017. Party General Secretary and President Xi accepted the invitation with pleasure. Earlier, the two leaders joined in a cordial tea party at the Great Hall after witnessing the signing of cooperative documents between the two Parties and the two States. The tea party is an unprecedented gesture, constituting the Chinese top leader’s respect, goodwill and wish to increase the closeness and trust with Vietnam’s top leader. At the tea party, Party General Secretary Xi offered Party General Secretary Trong renowned tea produced in Fujian province as well as told him about Zhejiang province where he once worked. He also discussed China’s strategies, policies and several crucial development milestones. The two leaders also deliberated further measures to enhance bilateral friendship and cooperation in the time to come. Later on the day, Party General Secretary and President Xi Jinping hosted a banquet to greet Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and the high-ranking Vietnamese delegation on their official visit to China Taking place at a time when the two countries are preparing to celebrate the 67th founding anniversary of diplomatic relations and welcome their traditional Lunar New Year, the visit is of great importance as it aims to set out healthy and long-term development directions for bilateral ties. VOV