China has urged Vietnam to “seize the opportunity” by boosting military cooperation between the two countries.
China’s Defence Minister Dong Jun made the appeal in a meeting with his Vietnamese counterpart Phan Van Giang in Beijing on Tuesday.
Their emphasis on cooperating despite their long-running territorial dispute in the South China Sea is in stark contrast to the rising tensions between China and the Philippines in the contested waterway.
In recent years Manila, which is a close ally of the United States, has taken a more confrontational approach in contrast to Vietnam’s lower-key stance.
On Monday, Chinese and Philippine coastguard ships collided near Sabina Shoal in the Spratly Islands, with each side blaming the other.
On Tuesday, the Chinese foreign ministry also criticised the US, saying it had “no right to intervene” in the dispute after Washington condemned China’s “dangerous actions” in response to “lawful” Philippine operations.
The meeting between Dong and Giang was part of a series of high-level meetings between China and Vietnam and came two days after the country’s new leader To Lam visited Beijing for talks with President Xi Jinping.
Hailing the relationship between China and Vietnam as “a community of shared destiny with strategic significance”, Dong stressed the need for the two countries’ armed forces to “improve the quality and efficiency of cooperation”, according to state news agency Xinhua.
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History, money and military: why the South China Sea is so important to Beijing
History, money and military: why the South China Sea is so important to Beijing
He said the two militaries should “seize the opportunity” after Xi and Lam’s meeting and boost cooperation in areas such as training, joint exercises and international cooperation.
According to Xinhua, Giang said Vietnam is willing to strengthen cooperation between the two militaries through mutual visits and border exchanges and to elevate ties to a new level.
On Monday Lam also met Chinese Premier Li Qiang, who focused on the close economic and trade ties between the two countries and said there was space for industrial cooperation.
According to Xinhua, Li also pledged to deepen cooperation and strive for stronger political trust, security cooperation, and “better management and resolution of differences”.
Li further said that China is willing to build synergies between the China-led Belt and Road Initiative and Vietnam’s own development strategy to enhance connectivity and expand trade and investment between the two countries.
He also said China and Vietnam should enhance coordination through multilateral mechanisms such as the United Nations, Association of Southeast Asian Nations and Lancang-Mekong Cooperation.
According to China’s statement, Lam stressed that Vietnam has always give top priority to relations with Beijing and is willing to work together to strengthen exchanges at all levels, consolidate mutual trust, and deepen cooperation in trade, investment, transport, tourism and education.
