Nanning (VNA) – Vietnamese DeputyPrime Minister Vuong Dinh Hue and Chinese Vice Premier Han Zheng agreed on theneed to enhance political trust between the two countries during talks inNanning city, the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region of China, on September 11.

The talks were held on the occasion of Hue’sattendance at the 15th China-ASEAN Business and Investment Summit (CABIS) andthe 15th China-ASEAN Expo (CAEXPO).

Deputy PM Hue spoke highly of the organisationof the 15th CABIS and CAEXPO in coincidence with the 15th anniversary of theASEAN-China strategic partnership.

He noted with satisfaction that relationsbetween Vietnam and China have continued the positive development trend andmade new strides with important common perceptions reached during visits andmeetings between their leaders.

China remains the biggest trade and tourismpartner of Vietnam, and Vietnam also ranks first and eighth among ASEAN andglobal trade partners of China, respectively. While cooperation in agriculture,science-technology, culture, sports, tourism, education and health care hasenjoyed good progress, people-to-people exchange has continued to bereinforced.

Hue proposed that the two sides further enhancepolitical trust, maintain high-ranking visits and meetings, better implementimportant cooperation mechanisms between the two Parties and the two countries,and step up locality-to-locality collaboration and people-to-people exchange.

He also asked China to continue taking effectivepolicies and measures to better remedy Vietnam’s deficit in bilateral trade;create favourable conditions for Vietnamese goods, especially agriculturalproducts, to enter the Chinese market; coordinate with Vietnam to thoroughlysettle hindrances to some Chinese-invested projects in Vietnam; and continue tofacilitate the movement of people, goods and vehicles in border areas.

With regard to sea-related issues, the Deputy PMcalled on both sides to seriously comply with the common perceptions reached bythe two countries’ leaders, especially the agreement on basic principlesguiding the settlement of sea-related issues, control sea-related disagreementswell, persist in resolving disputes by peaceful means in line withinternational law and the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea,maintain peace and stability in the East Sea and the region, fully andeffectively carry out the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the EastSea, and join ASEAN countries in promoting substantive negotiations to build anefficient and effective Code of Conduct in the East Sea.

For his part, Vice Premier Han Zheng welcomedthe Vietnamese Government delegation’s participation in the 15th CABIS andCAEXPO, which he said shows that the Vietnamese Government attaches importanceto China-Vietnam relations as well as China-ASEAN cooperation.

He stressed that the Chinese Party andGovernment treasure the ties with Vietnam and will join Vietnam to maintainhigh-ranking visits and meetings, increase political trust, and bolsterresult-oriented cooperation, particularly in economy, trade and investment. 

China will also work with Vietnam to expandpeople-to-people exchange, consolidate the traditional friendship, control differenceswell, and develop the countries’ comprehensive strategic cooperativepartnership in a stable, healthy and sustainable fashion, he added.

Also on September 11, Deputy PM Hue received theSecretary of the Communist Party of China Committee of the Guangxi ZhuangAutonomous Region, Lu Xinshe.

Hue expressed his delight at the vibrantcooperation between Vietnamese localities and Guangxi, which has generated manysignificant outcomes and practical benefits for both sides. He noted thatGuangxi has continually taken the lead in economic and trade connections withVietnam while Vietnam has been the biggest trade partner of Guangxi for 14straight years. In 2017, trade between Vietnamese localities and Guangxi hit 24billion USD, accounting for 86 percent of ASEAN’s total trade with this Chineseregion.

The Deputy PM asked Guangxi to create morefavourable conditions for strong commodities of Vietnam like milk and dairyproducts, fruits, seafood, pigs and pork to be imported to China. He also soughtthe region’s help for Vietnamese goods to be transported by railway throughGuangxi and other Chinese localities to enter Asian and European nations.

The Vietnamese official also urged the Chineseside to provide the best possible conditions for customs clearance of goods inborder areas, well implement the three documents on land border managementbetween Vietnam and China, and cooperate closely with Vietnam to fightcross-border crimes, including smuggling, child trafficking, and illegal exitand entrance.

Secretary Lu affirmed that Guangxi respects thetraditional friendship and win-win cooperation with ministries, sectors andlocalities of Vietnam. 

It wants to join Vietnamese localities torealise the common perceptions reached by the countries’ leaders, increasemutual visits by their leaders, step up discussions about infrastructureconnectivity and transport projects, and foster cooperation in economy, trade,people-to-people exchange and tourism in a substantive manner, thuscontributing to the China-Vietnam comprehensive strategic cooperativepartnership, the official said.

The same day, Quang Nam province of Vietnam andthe Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region of China signed an agreement setting upbilateral friendship. –VNA