Vietnam-China Joint Statement

(VDP) - The Vietnam-China Joint Statement was signed as a result of the State visit to the People’s Republic of China by State President Truong Tan Sang on June 19-21, 2013 at the invitation of President Xi Jinping of the People’s Republic of China.

Following is the full text of the Joint Statement:

1. At the invitation of President Xi Jinping of the People’s Republic of China, State President Truong Tan Sang of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam has made a State visit to the People’s Republic of China on June 19-21, 2013.

During the visit, President Truong Tan Sang has held talks with President Xi Jinping; met with Premier of the State Council Li Keqiang and the Chief Commissioner of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress of China Zhang de Jiang. In a frank and friendly atmosphere, the leaders of the two countries have exchanged the opinions in depth and reached the widespread common awareness of further deepening the Vietnam-China comprehensive strategic cooperation in the new situation as well as the international and regional issues of common concern.

Apart from his visit to Beijing, State President Truong Tan Sang visited Guangdong Province.

2. The two sides have had a look back at the process of developing the Vietnam-China friendship and agreed unanimously that the Vietnam-China friendship is the precious common asset of the people of the two countries; reaffirmed that the two sides shall observe the important common awareness reached by the leaders of the two countries in recent years concerning the development of the Vietnam-China friendship, continue to persistently pursue the motto of “friendly neighborliness, comprehensive cooperation, long-term stability, forward to future” and the spirit of “good neighborliness, good friends, good comrades, good partners”, constantly strengthen the strategic confidence, further deepen the cooperation of mutual benefits in all fields, treat satisfactorily all the existing issues, intensify the coordination in international and regional issues and boost the Vietnam-China relations to have the healthy development and long-term stability.

3. Vietnam and China are now in the key period of their own economic and social development. The two sides consider the development of that country is an opportunity for the development of its country and have agreed unanimously to deepen further the strategic comprehensive cooperation with the following areas as the key:

Vietnam-China Joint Statement.

(i) To maintain the high-level contacts through the flexible and diverse forms such as the bilateral visit, the telephone conversation through the hot line, the side-line meetings at the multilateral forums so as to be able to enhance the strategic exchange, grasp the correct direction of developing the relations between the two countries. The Vietnamese side welcomes the Vietnam visits to be made soon by the Chinese leaders, the Chinese side welcomes the China visit by the Vietnamese leaders and their participation in the conferences organized in China.

(ii) The two sides have positively valued the results of the 6th meeting of the Steering Committee of bilateral cooperation between Vietnam and China, unanimously agreed to continue to use well this important mechanism, accelerate the overall cooperation of mutual benefits in all fields, bringing about more benefits to the people of the two countries. The two sides are unanimous of view to together implement well the “Action Program of deploying the comprehensive strategic partner relations and cooperation between Vietnam and China” signed during this visit, thus enhancing the substantial cooperation between the two countries to reach a new development.

(iii) The two sides are pleased to see the development of the relations of the two Parties in recent years, particularly the further deepening of the cooperation between the two Parties, accelerating the favorable operation of the exchange and cooperation mechanism between the Foreign Relations Boards and the Propaganda and Education Boards of the two Parties, enhancing cooperation in training the Party and State officials. The two sides have agreed unanimously to coordinate closely to together organize well the 9th Seminar on theory of the two Parties, enhance further the exchange of experience on the Party building and the State management, pushing ahead the Party and national building in each country.

(iv) The two sides have agreed unanimously to enhance cooperation of the Foreign Ministries of the two countries, implement well the Protocol of cooperation between the two Foreign Ministries, maintain the regular exchanges of leaders of the two Foreign Ministries, organize the annual diplomatic consultation and intensify the exchanges at the department and directorate level of the two Foreign Ministries.

(v) The two sides have valued positively the result of the 4th Dialogue of Defense Strategy at the Defense Vice-Ministerial level, unanimously agreed to maintain the high-ranking contacts between the armies of the two countries, promote the role of the mechanism of the Dialogue of Defense Strategy and the direct telephone line between the two Defense Ministries in order to enhance the mutual trust; to be in close contact with each other to exchange experience in the Party and political work in the army, accelerate the training and exchange of young army officers; to implement well the “Agreement on Border Guard Cooperation between the Defense Ministries of Vietnam and China” (amended) signed during this visit, continue to deploy the joint patrol of the land border; to deepen further the cooperation in the inland and maritime border guards and within this year, to deploy two joint patrols between the naval forces of the two countries in the Tonkin Gulf; to accelerate the exchange and coordination in the multilateral regional security issues; to exchange the new forms and new contents in deploying the national defense cooperation, thus deepening further the cooperation of the two armies.

(vi) The two sides have agreed unanimously to deepen further the cooperation in enforcing the law and security, promote fully the role of the mechanism of the Conference on cooperation in prevention and combat against crimes between the two Ministries of Public Policy of the two countries, enhance the high-ranking visits and the professional units’ visits of the law enforcement agencies of the two sides, push ahead the substantial cooperation in the areas such as the prevention and combat against the trans-border crimes, maintain social order and security as well as building the capacity of law enforcement, to deploy soon the activities of joint law enforcement in all fields, maintain security and stability in the border areas of the two countries. The two sides have agreed unanimously to boost the exchange and cooperation between the two marine police forces of the two countries. The two sides have unanimously agreed to start soon the negotiation on the “Vietnam-China Extradition Agreement” in later half of this year.

(vii) The two sides have agreed unanimously to enhance the strategic coordination in the economic development, implement well the “Plan on 5-year Development of Vietnam-China economic and trade cooperation in the 2012-2016 stage” and the List of the key co-operation projects, boost further the cooperation in such areas as agriculture, pisciculture, transport and communication, energy, minerals, manufacturing industry and support industry, services as well as the regional cooperation “Two corridors, one economic belt”. The two sides will use well the mechanism of the Committee of the bilateral economic and trade cooperation, carry out well the “Bilateral Cooperation Memorandum of Understanding in the farm produce trading area between the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Vietnam and the Trade Ministry of China”; the two sides have agreed unanimously to actively take effective and resolute measures in order to boost the bilateral trade balance on the basis of guaranteeing the bilateral trade, enhance stability and try to fulfill ahead of schedule the targets of reaching the two-way trade turnover of USD 60 billion by 2015. It is to continue to accelerate the building of the important economic and trade cooperation projects in the energy, industrial park and road communication connection areas, in which priority is to be given to pushing ahead the construction of road and railroad projects connecting the land border areas between the two countries such as the Hanoi-Lang Son express way. The two sides have agreed unanimously to enhance cooperation in the financial area, create conditions and encourage the financial institutions of the two sides to support the financial services to the bilateral cooperation projects; to continue to promote the convenience of the bilateral trade and investment, including the encouragement of payment in domestic currency in trade exchanges at the border areas, to encourage enterprises of this country to make investments in the other country and create safe and favorable conditions to enterprises to make investments.

(viii) The two sides have agreed unanimously to continue to further deepen cooperation in the agricultural area, complete the mechanism of bilateral cooperation in agriculture, promote the scientific and technical exchanges in agriculture and raise the capacity in the agricultural field, multiply the high-yield, good quality agricultural plants, including the hybrid rice varieties, promote the development of the farm produce processing and trading sector, focus on accelerating the building of the trans-border animal and plant diseases and epidemics system and exported and imported food safety and raise the forecast capacity and the information sharing level.

(ix) To enhance the exchange and cooperation in the cultural area, implement well the “Agreement on Educational Cooperation in the 2011-2015 stage”, “the Action Program to Implement the Vietnam-China Cultural Agreement in the 2013-2015 stage”, complete soon the building of the Cultural Center of this country in that country, intensify cooperation in the cultural heritage and human resource fields. The two sides have agreed unanimously to organize the 2nd Vietnam-China Youth Festival in China in the later half of this year, at the same time continue to organize well all activities such as the Vietnam-China Youth Friendly Meeting and the Vietnamese and Chinese People Forum, enhance the propaganda work on the Vietnam-China friendship so as to spur friendship between the people of the two countries.

(x) The two sides have agreed unanimously to deepen further the exchange and cooperation in the scientific and technological field, promote further the role of the Committee of the Scientific and Technical Cooperation between the Governments of the two countries, encourage and support the circles of the scientific and technological research and application of the two countries, deploy cooperation in various forms such as the joint research and development, the building of a common laboratory and technological transfer in the areas of mutual concern such as agriculture, information technology, new energy, environmental protection, management, use and protection of water resource.

(xi) The two sides have agreed unanimously to enhance further cooperation among provinces and border autonomous regions between the two countries, particularly 7 provinces of Vietnam, including Điện Biên, Lai Châu, Lào Cai, Hà Giang, Cao Bằng, Lạng Sơn and Quảng Ninh with 4 provinces of China, including Guangdong, Guangxi, Hainan and Yunnan; to promote the role of the mechanism of relevant cooperation among localities of the two countries; concentrate to accelerate cooperation in the economic and trade areas, communication infrastructure, science, education, culture and health care and promote the joint development of provinces, border autonomous regions of the two countries.

(xii) The two sides have agreed unanimously to implement seriously the 2013 Working Plan of the Vietnam-China Land Border Joint Committee; assess positively the establishment by the two countries of the Committee of Cooperation in Border Gate Management during this visit; push ahead the expansion and upgrading of the border gates between the two countries; intensify the construction and management of infrastructure of the border gates, improve conditions and raise efficiency of the circulation of people, goods and facilities through border gates with a view to serving the traveling and the economic and trade development of the two countries. It is to start soon the construction of Vietnam- China Bắc Luân II Bridge. The two sides have agreed unanimously to organize the new negotiation round on the “Agreement on the Regulation on boats and ships cruising freely at the Bắc Luân river mouth” and the “Agreement on Cooperation and Exploitation of tourism development of the Bản Giốc Waterfall areas” in the later half of this year and try to reach the substantial progress. The two sides will intensify the exchange and technical cooperation in the management of the border rivers and streams, in the prevention and combat against natural disasters, flash floods and floods and in the use and protection of the water resource in the trans-border rivers and streams.

(xiii) The two sides will continue to implement well the “Agreement on cooperation in fisheries in the Tonkin Gulf”; to actively study the new mode of the joint examination in the common fishing area in the Tonkin Gulf. The two sides have highly valued the “Agreement between the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Vietnam and the Ministry of Agriculture of China on establishment of a hot line concerning the suddenly arising incidents in the fisheries on the sea” signed during this visit, will treat satisfactorily all the suddenly arising incidents in the fisheries on the sea between the two countries in conformity with the relations of the two countries.

4. The two sides have exchanged sincere and frank opinions on the sea issues and agreed unanimously that leaders of the two Parties and two countries shall maintain regular exchanges and dialogues on the Vietnam-China sea issues, guide and promote the satisfactory settlement of the sea issues stemming from the strategic height and the great work of the relations between the two countries. The two sides will implement seriously the “Agreement on the fundamental principles guiding the settlement of the Vietnam-China sea issues”, use well the mechanisms such as the negotiation of the border and territory issue at the Government level, persistently follow consultation and friendly negotiation, look for the fundamental and long-term solution acceptable to the two sides, actively study the solution of transitional character without affecting the standpoint and policy of each side, including the active study and discussion of the cooperation issue in joint development.

The two sides unanimously agreed to base on the easy first, difficulty later principle or the sequential progressive principle, enhance the intensity of negotiation of the Working Group on the waters off the Tonkin Gulf, firmly speed up the negotiation on delimitation of the waters off the Tonkin Gulf and actively enhance cooperation in joint development in these waters.; in this year, it is to start the common survey in the waters off the Tonkin Gulf, determine soon the area and sector of cooperation so as to implement the task of negotiation of the Working Group on the waters off the Tonkin Gulf. The two sides have welcomed the Amended Agreement relating to the Agreement on the common exploration in the agreed area off the Tonkin Gulf signed by the concerned enterprises of the two countries, unanimously agreed to expand the agreed area, prolong the agreed time and to together intensify the common exploration of the oil and gas composition that cuts cross the delimitation line in the Tonkin Gulf so as to be able to have the positive development soon.

The two sides unanimously agreed to increase the density of negotiation of the Working Group of specialists on cooperation in the less sensitive areas in the Vietnam-China waters; this year, one or two cooperation projects from three agreed projects will be implemented, including the Project on coordination in the search and rescue operations on the sea between Vietnam and China, the Project on cooperation in the research and management of the marine environment and islands in the Tonkin Gulf and the Project on research of sedimentary comparison of the Holocene Epoch in the Red River Basin and the Yangtze River Basin; continue to promote cooperation in the protection of marine environment and the marine scientific research, in search and rescue operation on the sea, in prevention and combat against natural disasters and in connection of marine traffic.

Before a dispute on the sea is to be settled definitely, the two sides are of unanimous view to keep calm and restrain, without taking any action that could complicate and extend the dispute, at the same time use the hot line to manage and control the crisis on the sea between the Foreign Ministries of the two countries, treat satisfactorily the arising issues with the constructive attitude and will not let these issues affect the great tasks of the Vietnam-China relations as well as peace and stability in the South China Sea. The two sides have agreed unanimously to implement comprehensively and effectively the “Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea” (DOC) and together maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea.

5. The Vietnamese side affirms that it will persistently implement the one-China policy, support the peaceful development of the Taiwan Strait relations and the great cause of reunifying China, and resolutely protest against the action of “Independent Taiwan” division in whatsoever form. Vietnam shall not develop any official relations with Taiwan; the Chinese side welcomes the said standpoint of Vietnam.

6. The two sides have hold that Vietnam and China are the two developing countries, have similar standpoint and are close to each other in a lot of international and regional issues of mutual concern. The two sides are of unanimous view to enhance coordination at the multilateral forums such as the United Nations Organization, the World Trade Organization, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum, the Asia-Europe Cooperation Forum, the ASEAN Forum, the ASEAN-China Summit, the ASEAN-China-Japan-South Korea Summit and the East Asia Summit so as to together maintain peace, stability and prosperity of the world.

The two sides have agreed unanimously to take this year – the 10th anniversary of the establishment of ASEAN and China strategic partnership relations – the opportunity to implement comprehensively the common awareness reached by leaders of ASEAN countries and China, organize well all the 10th commemorative activities, constantly expand and deepen further the cooperation between ASEAN and China in the economic and trade areas, connect communication, ocean, society and humanities, making a lot more of contributions to peace, stability and prosperity in the region.

7. During the visit, the two sides have signed “the Action Program between the Vietnamese Government and the Chinese Government on the deployment of the Vietnam-China comprehensive strategic partnership relations and cooperation”, “the Agreement on border guard cooperation between the Defense Ministries of Vietnam and China” (amended), “the Agreement between the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Vietnam and the Agriculture Ministry of China on establishing the hot line concerning the suddenly arising incidents in the fisheries on the sea”, “the Agreement between the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Vietnam and the General Directorate of Quality Supervision, Testing and Quarantine of China on cooperation in testing and quarantine of animals and plants for export and import”, “The Charter of the Committee of Cooperation in Management of land border gates between Vietnam and China”, “The Memorandum of Understanding between the Vietnamese Government and the Chinese Government on establishment of the Cultural Centers in the two countries”, “ the Memorandum of Understanding on the cooperation plan in the 2013-2017 stage between the Union of Friendship Organizations of Vietnam and the Friendship Association of Chinese people’s External Relations”, “the 4th Amended Agreement between the Vietnam Oil and Gas Group (PVN) and the China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) relating to the agreement on the joint exploration in the agreed offshore area in the Tonkin Gulf” and many other economic cooperation documents.

8. The two sides are pleased with the results made during the China visit by State President Truong Tan San and unanimously believed that the visit is of important significance in boosting the development of the relations between the two countries. State President Truong Tan San has thanked the Chinese side for its warm and friendly reception and extended an invitation to President Xi Jinping to visit Vietnam. President Xi Jinping has expressed his thanks.

(AOFIS)