On the afternoon of July 14, 2016 local time, Premier Li Keqiang met at the hotel where he stayed in Ulaanbaatar with Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc of Viet Nam.

Li Keqiang expressed that China-Viet Nam relations have shown a positive momentum of development since last year, with preliminary results in maritime, land and financial cooperation. China is willing to work with Viet Nam to speed up the docking of development strategies, make solid progress in production capacity cooperation, clarify and launch cooperation projects in prioritized areas at an early date, and promote the development of bilateral trade in a balanced and sustained manner. The two sides should strengthen maritime cooperation and speed up the follow-up work of the joint inspection of the waters outside the Beibu Gulf. Both sides should actively expand people-to-people and cultural exchanges and enhance the friendship between the two peoples, particularly the two youths. It is hoped that the two sides can make joint efforts to promote a healthy and stable development of bilateral comprehensive strategic cooperation.

Nguyen Xuan Phuc noted that Viet Nam and China enjoy a comradely and brotherly relationship with common interests significantly overriding differences. This is the first meeting between both of them since the 12th National Congress of the Communist Party of Viet Nam, which is of great significance to bilateral relations. Regarding its relationship with China as a top priority in its foreign relations, Viet Nam is willing to continue to maintain high-level exchanges with China and advance bilateral cooperation in various fields in a balanced and healthy manner. Viet Nam stands ready to push for progress from the mechanism of bilateral negotiations on maritime issues and properly control differences with China according to the consensus reached by the two sides, so as to contribute to regional peace and stability.

When talking about the South China Sea issue, Li Keqiang pointed out that China has been very firm on its stance of not recognizing or accepting the so-called South China Sea arbitration case unilaterally initiated by the Philippines. Over ten years ago, China reached the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) with ASEAN countries, ensuring peace and stability in the South China Sea over the past years. The South China Sea issue should be properly resolved through bilateral dialogues and negotiations by parties concerned on the basis of respecting historical facts and in accordance with the international law and the DOC in the future. It is hoped that Viet Nam can proceed from the general situation of China-Viet Nam relations, value the hard-won development momentum of bilateral relations and jointly safeguard peace and stability in the South China Sea with China.

Nguyen Xuan Phuc said that Viet Nam respects China's stance on the arbitration case and maintains that disputes should be properly resolved through dialogues and negotiations.