Strengthening special bond

Xi calls for joint efforts with Vietnam to find durable maritime dispute solution

President Xi Jinping on Thursday called for China and Vietnam to work together to enhance mutual trust, deepen cooperation and expand communication to promote bilateral ties based on their friendship “forged with blood” by the older generation of the two peoples.

Meanwhile, the two countries need to “stay committed to seeking a fundamental and durable solution to their maritime issues acceptable to both sides through friendly consultation”, he said.

The Chinese leader made the remarks in a signed article published in Nhan Dan, the official newspaper of the Communist Party of Vietnam.

On Friday, Xi will attend the two-day 25th Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Economic Leaders’ Meeting in the Vietnamese city of Da Nang. Afterwards he will pay a state visit to the country.

The two sides need to fully and effectively implement the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea, actively advance their consultation on a Code of Conduct in the South China Sea and jointly uphold peace and stability there, Xi wrote in the article.

China and the ASEAN countries signed the declara- tion in November 2002 and are now pressing ahead with consultations on a code of conduct for the waters.

Xi, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said the 19th National Congress of the CPC, which concluded last month, set out the overall plan and program of action for the Party and the future development of the country.

Vietnam is also promoting reforms and striving to be a modern and industrialized nation, so “we need, more than ever, to work with joint efforts in pursuit of dreams of national strength and prosperity”, he wrote.

The two sides need to enhance the complementarities of their development strategies and work for substantive progress in bilateral cooperation in key areas such as infrastructure, trade, industrial capacity, cross-border economic cooperation zones and agriculture, Xi said.

Regarding his visit to Vietnam, Xi said he expected to have in-depth communications with the Vietnamese leaders and friends in various circles, jointly tap the two countries’ potential for cooperation and deepen their special friendship in order to initiate new prospects for bilateral ties.

He also wished Vietnam great success hosting the upcoming APEC meeting, saying that China looks forward to a “highly productive meeting that contributes to common development and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific.” Xinhua contributed to the story.