Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Chinese Premier Li Qiang engaged in candid discussions regarding the management of disagreements in the contentious waters of the South China Sea during Li's recent visit to Hanoi. The meeting followed Vietnam's accusation of a "brutal" attack by Chinese law enforcement on a Vietnamese fishing vessel on September 29, putting the lives of 10 crew members at risk.
A statement on the Vietnamese government's website mentioned that both sides exchanged sincere views on maritime issues and expressed a commitment to properly controlling disagreements. They agreed to actively seek enduring solutions that would be mutually acceptable.
Vietnam has been embroiled in a territorial dispute with China over the South China Sea, where China asserts a sweeping claim that overlaps with those of Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan, and the Philippines. The recent incident involved Vietnamese boats reportedly fishing illegally in the waters off the Paracel Islands, as per China's Foreign Ministry.
The US expressed deep concern over the reported "dangerous actions" by Chinese law enforcement vessels against Vietnamese fishing vessels. Prime Minister Chinh urged Premier Li to address the fishing vessel issue in a manner that upholds the friendly relationship between the two nations and prevents sea disputes from souring ties.
During the recent Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit in Laos, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. also called for a de-escalation of tensions in the region. Vietnam and China announced the signing of ten agreements covering various sectors such as agriculture, customs processes, and railways, aiming to bolster cooperation between the two nations. No specifics on the value or timeline of these projects were provided in the statement.