Vietnamese coast guards in a joint patrol in the Gulf of Tonkin (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) - Vietnamand China held the 14th round of negotiations of the working group onthe sea area beyond the mouth of the Gulf of Tonkin and the 11th roundof talks of the working group for consultation on cooperation for mutual development at sea,both in the form of video conference, on January 7.
The Vietnamese delegation was led by Nguyen Dang Thang, a department director at the National Boundary Commission under the Ministry of ForeignAffairs. The Chinese side was led by Yang Renhuo, a representative for border andmaritime issues at the Department of Boundary and Ocean Affairs under the Ministryof Foreign Affairs.
In a friendly and constructive atmosphere, the two sidesexchanged opinions on the two working groups’ activities. They shared the view thaton the basis of the agreed roadmap, they will push ahead with negotiations on thedelimitation of the sea area beyond the mouth of the Gulf of Tonkin and cooperationfor mutual development in the East Sea in accordance with international law, especiallythe 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, to which both Vietnamand China are parties.
They highlighted the importance of serious adherence tocommon perceptions reached by the countries’ leaders on the proper settlement ofissues at sea, and the agreement on basic principles guiding the settlement of sea-relatedissues between Vietnam and China, controlling differences and refraining from actionsthat could complicate the situation and extend disputes, while maintaining peaceand stability at sea.
The two sides agreed to organise the next rounds of negotiationsof the two working groups at a suitable time, to be arranged through diplomaticchannels./.
