Deputy Minister of Transport Nguyen Hong Truong has joined about 200delegates from China and a number of ASEAN member countries to discussissues within the expanded Bac Bo (Tonkin) Gulf economic cooperationframework in Nanning, China’s Guangxi province.
Addressing theopening of the eighth Pan-Tonkin Gulf Economic Forum on May 15, DeputyMinister Truong affirmed that Vietnam is willing to team up with Chinaand other ASEAN member countries in deploying the cooperation framework.
Chinaand regional nations should continue working together closely inpriority fields such as infrastructure development, environmentalprotection, agriculture and people-to-people exchange, especiallycapital and funding mobilisation for key projects in the framework, hesuggested.
With regards to recent East Sea related-issues,Truong also emphasised the need to maintain political stability andpeace in the East Sea, saying the cooperation must base on the principleof equality, mutual benefit and respect of international law,especially the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea and theDeclaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC), as well asindependence sovereignty and territorial integrity of concernedcountries.
He mentioned to the need to work together to build a code of conduct in the East Sea (COC).
Participantsdiscussed issues related to financial reform, investment, industrialdevelopment, cross-border industrial cooperation, sea ports and theestablishment of a transport network in the Tonkin Gulf.-VNA