A Chinese delegation led by Vice Foreign Minister Wang Yi and a Vietnamese delegation led by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Cong Phung held the 10th round of government level negotiations on the Sino-Vietnamese borders in Hanoi on Friday and Saturday.

The two sides reviewed progress made in previous negotiations. They expressed high appreciation for the breakthrough achieved in follow-up negotiations on the agreement on Beibu Gulf fishery cooperation, and made concrete arrangements for the next negotiations.

They stated that delineating and placing markers on the land border had a good beginning, and agreed to speed up the process and complete the delineation of the border soon.

The two sides also agreed to try to complete follow-up negotiations on the agreement on Beibu Gulf fishery cooperation at an early stage, to sign the supplementary protocol, and to complete the formalities of each side approving the fishery agreement and the Beibu Gulf demarcation agreement.

China and Vietnam will strive to bring the two agreements into force in the second quarter of this year. The two sides agreed to maintain the mechanism on negotiations on sea issues, to practically maintain stability in the South China Sea, and to continue seeking ways and modes of sea cooperation

Wang Yi also held talks with Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Phu Binh on Sino-Vietnamese relations. They reached a notable consensus on boosting exchanges of high-ranking delegations, expanding economic and trade ties, and strengthening regional and international cooperation.

Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Vu Khoan and Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Dy Nien also met with Wang Yi.

(Xinhua News Agency January 11, 2004)