"Comrades and brothers" is used to describe the friendship between the Communist parties of China and Vietnam and the friendship between the two countries and their people during liberation and national building. However, due to the wrong attitude, provocative wording and dangerous actions of Vietnam in the South China Sea issue in recent days, some people have raised doubt over the "comrades and brothers" friendship, and the bilateral relationship has faced some challenges.

The key to solving the deadlock of China-Vietnam relations is whether Vietnam can give up its wrong stance. There are deep historical causes and complicated practical reasons behind Vietnam's risk-taking steps.

Therefore, under the premise of safeguarding the country's sovereignty and maritime rights, we can solve the South China Sea disputes by adhering to the "comrades and brothers" friendship to coordinate China-Vietnam relations.

The two countries have stuck to the socialist path and face similar historical tasks and development phases.

The two can deepen cooperation in building ideologies. The theoretical circles in Vietnam believe that their country is at the most critical juncture in terms of difficulties and challenges in theoretical research. Therefore, the struggle over ideologies has affected Vietnam's mentality and values in its foreign relations to some extent.

If the Communist Party of Vietnam cannot acknowledge the conspiracy behind some international hostile forces or leaves the country's nationalist and anti-Communist forces unchecked, domestic security and social order will face more threats and chaos.

It is necessary for the parties of both countries to strengthen cooperation. When conditions are ripe, we can communicate on theories like "depoliticization of the armed forces," "multi-party mechanisms" and "separation of the three powers" to unite thoughts within the party.

Both China and Vietnam are developing countries in the Asia-Pacific region. China is Vietnam's largest trading partner and major investor. Due to the complexities of international relations, there are deep-rooted conflicts between the two that cannot be avoided and need firm determination to solve.

China would set a good example by firmly cracking down on Vietnam's fuss-making. The changing international environment brings equal opportunities to every country. The crisis brought by Vietnam's opportunism is an opportunity for China.

Now China should use the current favorable condition to accelerate building basic infrastructure such as the island airport, the wharf and fresh water facilities, to expand exploiting oil resources in the South China Sea, and to broaden its control over maritime rights.

That is because the South China Sea issue, unlike the demarcation of the border between China and Vietnam or the demarcation of the Beibu Gulf, needs to be addressed with visible achievements.

Currently, the two mechanisms of the delimitation of the maritime boundary in the Beibu Gulf and the maritime delimitation are operating effectively and promoting mechanisms of joint sea exploitation, basic infrastructure cooperation and financial work. These mechanisms will have a profound influence in guiding China-Vietnam relations.

Besides, it is necessary to take some measures to make our brother correct its own mistakes. That is what we call "brotherly affection."

The author is a research fellow with Non-war Military Operations Research Center at National Defense University PLA China. opinion@globaltimes.com.cn