PM Pham Minh Chinh (C) during talks with his Chinese counterpart Li Keqiang, September 19, 2022. (Photo: VNA)

Both sides vowed to realise common important perceptions reached during recent talks between Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and Chinese Party General Secretary and President Xi Jinping, toward bringing Vietnam-China ties to a new stage of development with higher political trust and more effective and practical cooperation.

PM Chinh suggested both sides work closely to lift two-way trade in a stable and balanced manner. He asked China to create favourable conditions for customs clearance, increase imports, step up the opening of market for Vietnamese farm produce, fully resume the operation of border gates, and make the best use of opportunities from multilateral free trade agreements.

He also proposed China soon open more commercial flights between the two nations, work more closely with Vietnam to effectively cope with newly emerging challenges, ensure energy, food, water and cyber security and enhance the sharing of experience in stabilising macro-economy, controlling inflation, and propelling growth.

Premier Li suggested both sides enhance strategic connectivity, step up economic-trade-investment ties, particularly in manufacturing and agriculture.

China is ready to resume people-to-people exchange activities, welcome Vietnamese students to return to China and increase the frequency of commercial flights between both sides, he said.

The two sides promised to continue effectively maintaining channels to discuss border issues on mainland and at sea and properly settle differences to maintain common peace and stability.

The Vietnamese PM suggested both sides continue realising three legal documents on land border between Vietnam and China; jointly maintain peace and stability, and properly handle maritime issues in the spirit of high-level common perceptions and the Vietnam-China Agreement on basic principles guiding the settlement of issues at sea. He said the two countries should accelerate talks about issues at sea, and settle disputes and disagreements by peaceful means in accordance with international law, particularly the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

The two leaders pledged to direct both sides to continue upholding mechanisms on negotiations on demarcation and cooperation at sea, fully and effectively implement the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (known internationally as the South China Sea) together with ASEAN member states, toward reaching a practical, effective and efficient Code of Conduct in the East Sea in line with international law, including the 1982 UNCLOS.