Vietnam and China maintain land border stability for development cooperation
VOV.VN - Vietnam and China have maintained stability along their land border after 25 years of signing the boundary treaty, creating conditions for border localities to increase exchanges and cooperation, said Vietnamese Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son.
Son was speaking at a conference in Hanoi on August 2 marking 25 years of the Vietnam – China boundary treaty and 15 years of three legal documents on land border and border management between the two countries.
Party, State and Government leaders give special attention and close direction to territory and border related issues that are also prioritized for resolution by ministries, agencies and localities, said the minister.
According to the chief diplomat, the Vietnam - China land border treaty was signed on December 30, 1999, and came into force on July 6, 2000. Shortly after that, Vietnam and China established 12 joint groups to work on border demarcation and border marker planting.
By December 31, 2008, the land border demarcation and marker planting work was completed along the entire border line of 1,449.566 km long with 1,971 border markers planted. Among the planted markers, there are 1,548 main ones and 442 sub-border ones. There is a border landmark erected at the border junction between Vietnam, China and Laos.
The completion of the demarcation line on December 31, 2008 was of great historical significance, opening a new page in bilateral relations, marking an important turning point in the history of building the demarcation line between the two countries, and meeting the aspirations of the two peoples, contributing to creating and maintaining a peaceful and stable environment in the region and the world, said Son.
He also went on the say that the work also made an important contribution to upholding general principles of international law, by settling border and territorial issues through peaceful negotiations, without using force or threatening to use force in resolving international disputes.
Meanwhile, representatives of the two countries signed three legal documents on border demarcation and border marker planting; border management; and border gates and border gate management, in Beijing on November 18, 2009. The three document took effect on July 14, 2010.
Son said Vietnam and China have since maintained stability, security and order in their border areas to support socio-economic development. Competent agencies of the two countries have coordinated closely in managing and protecting the border, promptly detecting and properly handling events that arise on the border.
The two countries have regularly opened and upgraded border gate pairs and infrastructure facilities to facilitate cross-border trade exchanges. They have increased friendly exchanges and cooperation between border localities in many diverse, practical and flexible forms. They have also fully tapped into cooperation mechanisms, reaping many practical results.
The conference gave ministries and localities the chance to summarize and evaluate results as well as shortcomings and limitations, draw lessons and seek solutions to overcome problems.
