VN hopes to maintain ties
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Vietnamese leaders yesterday reiterated their desire for strong relations with China while calling for the removal of the illegally placed oil rig from its waters, saying the act has negatively impacted bilateral ties.
Receiving visiting Chinese State Councillor Yang Jiechi in Hanoi yesterday, party general secretary Nguyen Phu Trong emphasised that Vietnam’s standpoint on its sovereignty over the Hoang Sa (Paracel) and Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelagos is unchanged and unchangeable.
He also said the party, state and people of Vietnam have and will pursue a consistent policy of treasuring its friendship and cooperation with China.
Vietnam wishes to preserve, consolidate and continuously develop bilateral relations in a healthy and stable manner for the essential and long-term interests of both peoples, Trong said, and expressed appreciation of positive developments in the relationship with China in recent years.
He also stressed the seriousness and negative impacts of China’s placement of its Haiyang Shiyou-981 oil rig in Vietnam’s waters since early May on the Vietnamese people, bilateral relations and the regional situation.
The party chief suggested the two sides urgently seek measures to stabilise the situation, creating a premise for basic and long-term solutions to sea-related issues on the basis of agreements reached by their leaders of both nations and international law, especially the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.
Yang said the Chinese government attached special importance to developing a good, stable, long-term relationship with Vietnam.
He expressed hope that the two sides would continue discussing ways of easing tensions and solving sea-related issues. He also agreed on the need to continue exchanges and co-operation between the two nations in various fields.
