Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Vuong Dinh Hue (L) and Chinese Vice Premier Han Zheng meets in Nanning on September 11 (Photo: VNA)

The talks were held on the occasion of Hue’s attendance at the 15th China-ASEAN Business and Investment Summit (CABIS) and the 15th China-ASEAN Expo (CAEXPO). Deputy PM Hue spoke highly of the organisation of the 15th CABIS and CAEXPO in coincidence with the 15th anniversary of the ASEAN-China strategic partnership.

He noted with satisfaction that relations between Vietnam and China have continued the positive development trend and made new strides with important common perceptions reached during visits and meetings between their leaders.
Hue proposed that the two sides further enhance political trust, maintain high-ranking visits and meetings, better implement important 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 effective policies and measures to better remedy Vietnam’s deficit in bilateral trade; create favourable conditions for Vietnamese goods, especially agricultural products, to enter the Chinese market; coordinate with Vietnam to thoroughly settle hindrances to some Chinese-invested projects in Vietnam; and continue to facilitate the movement of people, goods and vehicles in border areas.

With regard to sea-related issues, the Deputy PM called on both sides to seriously comply with the common perceptions reached by the two countries’ leaders, especially the agreement on basic principles guiding the settlement of sea-related issues, control sea-related disagreements well, persist in resolving disputes by peaceful means in line with international 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 and effectively carry out the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea, and join ASEAN countries in promoting substantive negotiations to build an efficient and effective Code of Conduct in the East Sea.
Vice Premier Han Zheng stressed that the Chinese Party and Government treasure the ties with Vietnam and will join Vietnam to maintain high-ranking visits and meetings, increase political trust, and bolster result-oriented cooperation, particularly in economy, trade and investment. 

China will also work with Vietnam to expand people-to-people exchange, consolidate the traditional friendship, control differences well, and develop the countries’ comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership in a stable, healthy and sustainable fashion, he added.

Also on Tuesday, Deputy PM Hue received the Secretary of the Communist Party of China Committee of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Lu Xinshe.

Hue expressed his delight at the vibrant cooperation between Vietnamese localities and Guangxi, which has generated many significant outcomes and practical benefits for both sides. He noted that Guangxi has continually taken the lead in economic and trade connections with Vietnam while Vietnam has been the biggest trade partner of Guangxi for 14 straight years. In 2017, trade between Vietnamese localities and Guangxi hit 24 billion USD, accounting for 86 percent of ASEAN’s total trade with this Chinese region.
The same day, Quang Nam province of Vietnam and the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region of China signed an agreement setting up bilateral friendship.