LookAtVietnam – Viet Nam and China have vowed to implement signed documents aimed at building a common borderline based on peace, friendship and stability.

Photo: VNN

Son said that for the first time in history, each section of the Viet Nam-China boundary and each border marker were fixed clearly, not only in writing but also on the map, enabling every citizen to easily see the borderline.

He said that the three-freshly-signed documents during the meeting, together with the 1999 Viet Nam-China Land Border Agreement, constituted “the most perfect set of dossiers”.

The agreements are the Protocol on Border Demarcation and Marker Planting, the Agreement on Border Management Regulations and the Agreement on Border Gates and Border Gate Management between the two countries.

The signing was witnessed by Foreign Minister Yang and Vietnamese Ambassador to China Nguyen Van Tho.

Son said the border agreements would promote friendly exchanges and co-operation between the two countries, particularly in border areas.

The two deputy FMs also agreed to start negotiations for joint tourism development of the Ban Gioc Waterfall and another on the free movement of boats at the estuary of the Bac Luan River. The two agreements are expected to be signed next year.

The two officials headed Vietnamese and Chinese delegations to the Sino-Vietnamese Government Border and Territory Negotiations.

They reviewed the work performed by the Viet Nam-China Joint Committee for Land-Border Demarcation and Marker Planting since the completion of demarcation and marker planting along the entire borderline in December, 2008.

Experts

The two said they appreciated efforts by experts from both sides to compile the Protocol on Border Demarcation and Marker Planting, the Agreement on Border Management Regulations, and the Agreement on Border Gates and Border Gate Management.

The signing of these agreements, they said, was of enormously important significance as they would end a 35-year negotiation on land boundaries between the two countries, and officially bring the 1999 Viet Nam-China Land Borderline Agreement into real life.

The two sides said follow-up procedures would be soon finalised to help the agreements take effect.

As for sea issues, the two sides affirmed their determination to seriously implement agreements reached by high-ranking leaders, particularly the common understanding between Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and his Chinese counterpart, Wen Jiabao, in Chengdu, Sichuan, last October.

They also vowed to strictly implement the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea reached by member states of ASEAN and China, and to persist with negotiations and friendly consultations to seek a basic and long-term solution to East Sea issues.

They said joint efforts would be made to maintain stability in the sea region, and to satisfactorily treat all new problems, including those involving the fisheries sector.

There was unanimous agreement that an early start would be made in Ha Noi on negotiations for basic principles governing the settlement of sea issues between the two countries.

During a reception for the Vietnamese delegation, Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi said he highly valued the negotiations by the two delegations in completing the three land-border documents.

He stressed that the Party and Government of China considered ties with Viet Nam important and wished to have all issues involving the sea settled properly.

Deputy Foreign Minister Son conveyed Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Gia Khiem’s invitation to Yang Jiechi to visit Viet Nam in 2010.

During his stay in Beijing, Son and Chinese Assistant Foreign Minister Hu Zhengyue compared notes on measures to promote bilateral relations. They agreed to intensify co-ordination in organising the “2010 Viet Nam-China Friendship Year”, including activities marking the 60th anniversary of the two countries’ diplomatic ties on January 18.

These activities, host and guest said, would be of enormous significance as they would contribute to the strengthening of friendship and mutual trust and understanding between the two peoples, creating new impetus for comprehensive co-operation and strategic partnership between Viet Nam and China.

Talking with the media on the occasion of the signing, Son emphasised the historical significance of the event.

“These agreements will create conditions for border localities of the two countries to expand economic co-operation and increase friendly exchanges. They will also serve as a foundation to enable the two countries to carry out border management in an effective and scientific manner,” he said.

“Basing ourselves on the Protocol on Border Demarcation and Marker Planting, we can now apply modern management methods, even digital techniques, to boundary management,” he added.

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News