Vietnam and China held the 14th round of negotiations of the working group on the sea area beyond the mouth of the Gulf of Tonkin and the 11th round of talks of the working group for consultation on cooperation for mutual development at sea, both in the form of video conference, on January 7.

Vietnamese coast guards in a joint patrol in the Gulf of Tonkin (Photo: VNA)

The Vietnamese delegation was led by Nguyen Dang Thang, a department director at the National Boundary Commission under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Chinese side was led by Yang Renhuo, a representative for border and maritime issues at the Department of Boundary and Ocean Affairs under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

In a friendly and constructive atmosphere, the two sides exchanged opinions on the two working groups’ activities. They shared the view that on the basis of the agreed roadmap, they will push ahead with negotiations on the delimitation of the sea area beyond the mouth of the Gulf of Tonkin and cooperation for mutual development in the East Sea in accordance with international law, especially the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, to which both Vietnam and China are parties.

They highlighted the importance of serious adherence to common perceptions reached by the countries’ leaders on the proper settlement of issues at sea, and the agreement on basic principles guiding the settlement of sea-related issues between Vietnam and China, controlling differences and refraining from actions that could complicate the situation and extend disputes, while maintaining peace and stability at sea.

The two sides agreed to organise the next rounds of negotiations of the two working groups at a suitable time, to be arranged through diplomatic channels.