Deputy PM Nhan applauded the initiative to organise the forum, affirming the Vietnamese Party, State and people’s persistent wish to unceasingly strengthen the Vietnam-China comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership, and solve the existing issues through peaceful and friendly negotiations. 

The third Vietnam-China People’s Forum was jointly held in the northern province of Vinh Phuc from September 23-25 by the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organisations and the Chinese People’s External Friendship Association, drawing scholars and experts of both countries. 

Participants exchanged views on the development of Vietnam-China relations over the past 20 years since the two countries normalised their ties. They also discussed new situations in recent years, and proposed measures to promote friendly relations between the Vietnamese and Chinese people in the coming time. 

They agreed that the Vietnam-China friendly neighbourliness is invaluable assets of the two nations and the development of the bilateral relations is in conformity with the fundamental, long-lasting interests of the two countries’ people, and benefits peace, stability and development in the region. 

They also held that sea and island disputes are objective issues in bilateral relations, which need to be solved cautiously in order to avoid affecting the two countries’ current climate for peace, friendship, development cooperation.

The two sides need to continue negotiations to seek peaceful solutions based on international law, they said, adding that both sides should join efforts to maintain stability in the East Sea, refrain from acts that could complicate the situation or expand disputes, while a final solution has yet to be achieved. 

They expressed their wish that leaders of the two Parties and countries would maintain high-ranking visits and the two sides would increase dissemination of information and expand people-to-people exchanges, thus contributing to the enhancement of mutual understanding, trust and friendship between the two peoples.