The Vietnamese and Chinese foreign ministries have agreed to effectively implement previously signed border and territorial agreements and speed up the settlement of maritime issues.

The agreement was reached at talks between Chinese Deputy Foreign Minister Zhang Zhijun and his Vietnamese counterpart Pham Binh Minh, who is currently on a four-day visit to China .

The two ministers also agreed to step up coordination in activities to mark the Vietnam-China Friendship Year 2010, prepare for the reciprocal visits by both countries’ high-ranking officials later this year and promote bilateral cooperation in economics, trade and investment.

Both ministries spoke in unison about enhancing collaboration in multilateral forums, especially when Vietnam holds the ASEAN chair and holding regular exchanges between the two Parties on theoretical work.

Both parties expressed their delight at the series of new and important developments in various fields since the Vietnam-China relationship was lifted to a comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership.

They confirmed their determination to further develop the traditional friendship between the two Parties and States and consolidate the mutual trust and understanding.

While in China from March 29 to April 1, Deputy FM Minh met with Chinese FM Yang Jiechi and the Head of the Communist Party of China’s Central Committee’s International Liaison Department Wang Jiarui./.