From December 25 to 26, 2019, Director-General of the Department of Boundary and Ocean Affairs of the Foreign Ministry Hong Liang and Deputy Head of National Border Committee of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Phùng Thế Long of Vietnam co-hosted the 12th round of consultation of the working group on sea area outside the mouth of Beibu Bay and the 9th round of consultation of the working group for consultation on maritime joint development between China and Vietnam in Beijing. Representatives from related departments of China and Vietnam attended the consultations.

Both sides had in-depth exchanges of views on the maritime demarcation and joint development between China and Vietnam in a friendly, candid and constructive atmosphere, and emphasized to earnestly implement the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries and the two Parties and the Agreement on the Basic Principles Guiding the Settlement of Sea-related Issues Between the People's Republic of China and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, steadily push forward the demarcation negotiations on sea area outside the mouth of Beibu Bay, and actively promote the maritime joint development. The two sides discussed specific arrangements for joint exploration of sea area outside the mouth of Beibu Bay, joint development of oil and gas in the South China Sea and fishery cooperation, held consultation on relevant cooperation affairs and reached some consensus.

Both sides also exchanged views on the maritime issue between China and Vietnam, and agreed to continue to manage maritime disputes through bilateral dialogue and consultation, actively promote maritime cooperation and jointly maintain the sound development momentum of bilateral relations and peace and stability in the South China Sea.