BEIJING - China and Vietnam on Tuesday signed an agreement on basic principles guiding thesettlement of maritime issues existing between the two countries.
The six-point agreement is in accordance with the consensus reached by the leaders of Chinaand Vietnam and is based on a 1993 agreement on basic principles for resolving territorial andborder issues existing between the two countries, the agreement said.
The two countries should remain committed to friendly consultations in order to properly handlemaritime issues and make the South China Sea a sea of peace, friendship and cooperation,the agreement said.
The agreement was signed by China's Vice Foreign Minister Zhang Zhijun and his Vietnamesecounterpart Ho Xuan Son.
China and Vietnam should seek a basic and long-term approach that will be acceptable forboth sides in solving maritime disputes on the basis of legislation and principles enshrined ininternational law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea signed in1982, the agreement said.
Both sides should fully respect legal principles, take history and other relevant issues intoconsideration and accommodate each other's concerns in a constructive manner, theagreement said.
In the process of negotiating maritime issues, both sides should abide by the agreements andconsensus reached by the countries' senior leaders and implement the Declaration on theConduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC), the agreement said.
Both sides should solve maritime disputes through negotiations and friendly consultations, andthe two countries should consult with other countries if they are also involved in the disputes,the agreement said.
While seeking a basic and long-term approach to resolve maritime issues, both sides shouldexplore interim and temporary solutions, including research and negotiations on the jointdevelopment of the sea, without impacting each side's stance and position, the agreement said.
Both sides should seek steady progress in negotiations regarding the maritime demarcation ofthe baymouth of Beibu Gulf and discuss the joint development of the sea area, the agreementsaid.
Both sides should promote maritime cooperation in less sensitive fields, including marineenvironmental protection, scientific research, search and rescue, disaster reduction andprevention, the agreement said.
Heads of the border negotiation delegations of both countries should hold regular meetingstwice a year, which will rotate between both countries, the agreement said, adding that specialmeetings will take place if necessary.
Both sides agreed to set up a hotline contact mechanism in order to allow them to promptlycommunicate and properly deal with maritime issues, the agreement said.
