China would like to launch joint exploration with Vietnam in sea waters outside the mouth of the Beibu Bay at an early date this year to seek progress in joint maritime exploration, Premier Li Keqiang said on April 8.

The Premier made the remarks during a meeting with General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Nguyen Phu Trong in Beijing.

The Beibu Gulf separates northern Vietnam from China’s Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region as well as Guangdong and Hainan provinces. The two countries signed the Beibu Bay Demarcation Agreement and the Beibu Bay Fishery Cooperation Agreement in 2000.

With the changing international economic and political situation, China and Vietnam, as neighbors, should enhance political trust and coordination, and properly address differences for each nation’s development as well as regional peace, stability and prosperity, said the Premier.

Premier Li Keqiang meets Nguyen Phu Trong, general secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam, in Beijing on April 8.[Photo by Sheng Jiapeng/China News Service]

Premier Li spoke highly of the working groups on maritime, land and financial cooperation between the two countries, saying they help both sides to build a new cooperation integrating sea and land.

He called for both sides to link each other’s development strategies, and strengthen cooperation in maritime development, land connectivity and finance.

China is also willing to deepen cooperation with Vietnam in multilateral economic spheres including in the Greater Mekong River Subregion and the Pan-Beibu Bay Economic Cooperation to benefit people in the two countries and the region, said the Premier.

Trong said Vietnam would like to accelerate the work of the three working groups, and enhance negotiations about maritime issues based on the reached consensus to find solutions that are acceptable for both sides and to safeguard peace and stability.

Vietnam attaches importance to its comprehensive strategic partnership with China and always prioritizes developing ties with China, said Trong.

He said Vietnam thanks China’s support of his country’s economic and social development, and hopes to deepen the traditional bond and to push forward the development of the 65-year-old relationship.

State Councilor Yang Jing attended the meeting.