The Vietnamese delegations were led by Nguyen Anh Dung, Deputy Chairman of the National Border Committee under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, while Zhou Jian, the representative for boundary and ocean affairs under the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs headed the Chinese groups.

In an open, friendly and constructive atmosphere, the two sides exchanged opinions on efforts related to the working groups.

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Vietnamese coast guards during a patrol at sea. (Photo for illustration)

They confirmed serious observance of the common perception of the two countries’ senior leaders, including the agreement on basic principles directing the addressing of sea-related issues.

They step by step boosted negotiations on demarcation and a mutually win-win cooperation in the area in line with international law, especially the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS 1982), to which both Vietnam and China are signatories.

Concluding the meetings, the two sides signed the minutes of the negotiations.

Accordingly, they agreed to expeditiously organize the tenth round of the talks between Vietnamese and Chinese working groups on the sea area beyond the Gulf of Tonkin and the seventh round of the meeting between the two countries’ working groups on mutually win-win cooperation at sea in China.

Translated by Mai Huong