On November 27, 2019, Vice Foreign Minister Luo Zhaohui and Vice Foreign Minister Le Hoai Trung of Vietnam held the meeting between the heads of delegations of the China-Vietnam governmental border negotiation in Beijing.
Both sides spoke positively of the role of the governmental border negotiation mechanism in strengthening governance and cooperation in border areas, advancing maritime practical cooperation, and maintaining maritime peace and stability. The two sides recognized the contributions of the mechanism to the continuous and in-depth development of China-Vietnam comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership as well as the importance of managing maritime disputes and meeting each other halfway.
The two sides positively evaluated the outcomes the two countries have made in the land border management and joint exploration, and agreed to continue to guide the China-Vietnam Land Border Joint Committee to earnestly implement relevant legal documents on China-Vietnam land borders, strengthen management of land borders to maintain a stable and clear borderline between the two countries. Both sides agreed to cooperate closely in port gate opening and upgrading, advance the construction of cross-border economic cooperation zone, effectively implement the agreement on protecting and developing the tourism resources of Detian Waterfall between China and Vietnam and the agreement on navigation at the Beilun estuary free navigation area, promote personnel exchanges and improve the infrastructure construction in border areas, so as to better serve the economic and social development of both countries.
The two sides fully affirmed the progress made in controlling maritime disputes and advancing practical cooperation through dialogue and consultation, and agreed that the cooperation on less sensitive sea-related areas has become the highlight of bilateral practical cooperation. Both sides reaffirmed their efforts to continue to well implement the important consensus reached by leaders of the two Parties and the two countries, strictly abide by 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, give full play to the governmental border negotiation mechanism and relevant working groups, further strengthen dialogue and consultation, and properly manage and control differences. The two sides will actively carry out practical cooperation in areas including maritime search, marine scientific research and environmental protection, conservation of fishery resources, and maritime law enforcement, steadily promote joint development at sea, and work together to maintain peace and stability on the sea and in the relations between the two countries.