Vietnamese National Defence Minister and his Chinese counterpart
This is the first visit to China by General Lich in his capacity as Minister of National Defence.
The visit aims to continue to carry out the agreements reached by the two Parties and States, including increasing high-ranking exchanges and making relations deeper, more stable and practical.
During the meeting, Minister Lich will hold talks with his Chinese counterpart, meet with the Chinese Party and State leaders as well the Chinese Military Party Committee leaders, and visit the Chinese People’s Liberation Army.
Earlier, Senior Lieutenant General Chang Wan Quan paid a friendship visit to Vietnam from March 26th-28th. During talks between the Vietnamese and Chinese Ministries, the two Ministers discussed the relations between the two countries and two armies, agreeing that the relations had developed actively, with practical cooperation having been recorded in defence cooperation.
The two ministries frankly discussed disputes at sea, stressing that the two sides would have appropriate settlements of the disputes by peaceful and friendly negotiations in accordance with legal regulations and principles set in international laws, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea; make efforts in seeking long-term solutions accepted by the two sides; strictly obey the agreement and common awareness reached by the two countries’ high-ranking leaders; seriously realise the principles and spirit of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC), looking towards the building of the Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC); and make the East Sea a peaceful, friendly and cooperative sea, contributing to the development of the Vietnam - China comprehensive strategic partnership, and contributing to maintaining peace and stability in the region.
The two sides also reached a consensus that the two armies had to well control the situation, not to threaten to use violence, not to let conflicts happen, together maintain peace, stability, cooperation and the interests of the two countries, of the region and the world; increasing practical, stable and sustainable cooperation, with defence cooperation continuing to be considered as one of the pillars of the traditional relations between the two countries./.