VN, China boost trade relations along shared border

VGP - The seventh conference of the Joint Committee between Ha Giang, Quang Ninh, Lang Son, Cao Bang provinces of Viet Nam and the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region (GZAR) of China was held in Ha Giang province on April 25.

April 25, 2015 3:38 PM GMT+7

Photo: VGP

The gathering reviewed the implementation of the sixth conference’s memorandum and seek measures to enhance cooperation between the four provinces and the GZAR in the future.

Speaking at the conference, Deputy PM and FM Pham Binh Minh valued exchanges and cooperation between ministries, agencies and localities of Viet Nam and Guangxi Province and praised the joint committee’s performance.

Guangxi Province has had the biggest trade value with Viet Nam with over $17 billion in 2014, a 28.7% rise, accounting for nearly one fourth of the two countris' trade.

During high-level visits and meetings, as well as sessions of the Viet Nam-China Bilaterla Cooperation Steering Committee, both sides always focus on measures to boost cooperation between the two countries’ localities, particularly those along the shared border, Deputy PM, FM Minh said.

In Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong’s recent visit to China, the two sides discussed measures to promote bilateral ties and agreed to create favorable conditions for cooperation between border localities of both countries to help develop economic and trade relations stably and sustainably.

The two sides also agreed to study and negotiate amendments to the Viet Nam-China Trade Agreement and develop a master plan on building transborder economic cooperation zones as soon as possible.

Deputy PM, FM Minh asked the delegates to discuss measures to enhance friendly neighbourhood through visits, meetings and exchanges between localities’ leaders while promoting people-to-people exchanges.

The conference should review the implementation, supplement and improve agreements while making suggestions to both governments to address difficulties in cooperation, Deputy PM, FM Minh said.

Both sides should also work closely with each other to seek measures to simplify customs clearance procedures for people and goods, contributing to improving economic development in border regions, he added.

The Vietnamese Deputy PM urged relevant agencies and localities of both countries to speed up negotiations to conclude agreements on jointly preserving and extracting tourism resources of Ban Gioc waterfalls, and facilitating free travel of ships at the mouth of the Bac Luan river while continuing collaboration in fighting against transborder crimes and maintaining security and order in the shared border.

Earlier, Deputy PM, FM Minh met with Chinese delegates attending the conference.

The four Vietnamese provinces and the GZAR has promoted friendly exchanges, trade, investment, construction, transportation infrastructure connection, tourism and agriculture cooperation, contributing to building a peaceful and stable border between Viet Nam and China for mutual development.

By Vien Nhu