South China Sea Dispute: China, Vietnam agree to maintain peace

Vietnam and China have agreed to maintain stability and peace in the South China Sea and not take any acts that “complicate” the issue, on Friday, Chinese state television reported.

Vietnam and China are good socialist neighbours that has a long-shared history of revolutionary friendship and should be able to survive and dispel any “disruptions” in their relations, on Friday, Xi Jinping, Chinese President told Vietnam’s parliament.

South China Sea Dispute: China, Vietnam agree to maintain peace

Both Vietnam and China have competing claims in the South China Sea, last year that came to a head with Beijing’s parking of an oil rig in waters off the Vietnamese coast, which leads to anti-Chinese riots in Vietnam.

Aimed at rebuilding relations Xi’s visit is timely amid some uncertainty over what kind of pioneer will emerge from January’s five-yearly congress of a party traditionally close to China.

“China and Vietnam are joined my mountains and water and the friendship between our two peoples goes back to ancient times,” Xi said.

“In the struggle for national independence and liberation we fought side by side and supported each other forming a tight friendship.”

Chinese premier said, his country pays great attention to its relations with Vietnam and wants them to continue on a stable path.

“Our two parties, countries and peoples should be staunch in their faith, help each other and proceed hand in hand, not allowing anyone to disrupt our pace,” he said.

“I believe … both nations’ peoples have the ability and the wisdom to dispel any disruptions.”

The Chinese president made no direct mention of the South China Sea, not even the brief border war the two fought in 1979, when his country invaded Vietnam to punish Hanoi for toppling the Beijing-backed Khmer Rouge in Cambodia.