Wang Yi: China, Vietnam should accelerate maritime cooperation

China has always regarded Vietnam as a priority in its neighborhood diplomacy and is willing to work with the Vietnamese side to jointly promote the building of a China-Vietnam community with a shared future, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Thursday.

Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks when meeting with visiting Vietnamese Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in south China.

Wang said the two sides should work together to promote cooperation in various fields, strengthen high-level strategic communication, accelerate the synergy of development strategies, and continue to expand cooperation in areas including trade and investment, digital economy, green development, new energy and key minerals.

He called for closer people-to-people exchanges to strengthen the foundation of public opinion, so that the friendship between China and Vietnam will be more deeply rooted in the hearts of the people.

He urged both sides to jointly safeguard international justice, practice true multilateralism, and continue to support each other on issues concerning vital interests to each other.

Both sides should properly manage differences, accelerate maritime cooperation and consultations on the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea, and resolve conflicts and differences through win-win cooperation, he added.

Wang emphasized the need to be vigilant on camp confrontation in the region, as well as the formation of "small circles" undermining regional peace and stability.

For his part, Bui said the Vietnamese side has always regarded China as the top priority and strategic choice of its foreign policy, and is willing to maintain close coordination with China to plan high-level exchanges, strengthen inter-party exchanges, promote connectivity, trade and investment, and deepen local cooperation.

The Vietnamese side adheres to the one-China policy, opposes interference in the internal affairs of other countries in the disguise of human rights and democracy, he said.

Vietnam is willing to work with China to properly manage differences, and actively promote maritime cooperation and consultations on the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea, to maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea, he added.