China, Vietnam agree on measures to boost ties
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Chinese Premier Li Qiang (centre) meets Vietnam's President To Lam in Hanoi on Oct 12.
PHOTO: AFP
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HANOI - Vietnam and China agreed on Oct 12 to boost defence and security cooperation, the Vietnamese government said, despite their years-long maritime dispute in the South China Sea.
China is Vietnam’s largest trading partner and a vital source of imports for its manufacturing sector.
The two countries on Oct 12 also agreed to boost economic ties, with China pledging to further open its market for Vietnamese farm produce while Vietnam would facilitate Chinese investment, the government added in a statement.
It said the two countries will prioritise cooperation in developing railway links.
The statement came after Chinese premier Li Qiang met Vietnamese President To Lam in Hanoi late on Oct 12, as Mr Li began his three-day state visit to Vietnam.
Sources told Reuters on Oct 11 China and Vietnam are expected to sign new agreements, including pacts to boost railway links and agricultural trade, during the visit.
Mr Li is expected to meet Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and attend a business forum in Hanoi later on Oct 13.
Early in October, Vietnam protested to China over what it said was an attack on a Vietnamese fishing boat in contested South China Sea waters that injured several fishermen. REUTERS
