China, Vietnam vow more substantial progress in joint maritime cooperation

BEIJING, Feb. 24 -- China and Vietnam on Monday vowed to jointly promote their cooperation in areas including maritime, onshore and finance, and achieve more substantial progress.

The pledge came out of a meeting between Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and visiting President of the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) Central Committee Nguyen Thien Nhan.

Li said he hoped the two sides would give full play of mechanisms such as the guiding committee for bilateral cooperation and three working groups on joint maritime development, infrastructure and financial cooperation, to achieve substantial progress.

The establishment of the three working groups was a consensus reached by China and Vietnam during Li's visit to the country in November of last year, which was important breakthrough for the two countries on their way to peacefully handle maritime disputes.

Li called on the two countries to push forward joint development of larger scale in the South China Sea, appropriately handle disputes through negotiation and consultation, and maintain the peace and stability of the South China Sea with common efforts.