Beijing - Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao met with Vietnamese
Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung to discuss trade, economic cooperation
and a territorial dispute in the South China Sea, China's official
Xinhua news agency reported Saturday.
There was dialogue but no sign of a resolution on the three
archipelagos that both countries claim ownership to there.
'Vietnam is willing to properly solve the South China Sea issue in
the spirit of mutual respect and consultation,' Xinhua quoted Dung as
saying late Friday when he met Wen on the southern Chinese island of
Hainan, where both were attending the Bo'ao Forum for Asia, a
regional economic meeting.
Wen said China and Vietnam should safeguard stability in the area.
China and Vietnam have long claimed ownership over the
archipelagos in the South China Sea, including the Spratly Islands.
The area is an important shipping thoroughfare and rich in natural
resources.
Territorial issues in the South China Sea have grown increasingly
sensitive in recent months with China's decision to begin tourist
visits to an island in the disputed Spratly archipelago, its patrols
of the area, claims of violations of territorial waters and illegal
fishing, a March visit by former Malaysian premier Abdullah Ahmad
Badawi to two reefs of the Spratly Islands and Philippine President
Gloria Macapagal Arroyo signing into law a bill laying claim to
areas that included the Spratlys and the nearby Scarborough Shoal.
Vietnam, Taiwan, China, the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei each
claim all or part of the Spratlys and the nearby Paracels, and all
but Brunei have a military presence on one or more of the atolls.
China's claim to sovereignty over most of the South China Sea is not
recognized by other countries.
On the economic front, Wen said China would like to work with
Vietnam to strengthen future economic and trade cooperation and
maintain growth of two-way trade.
Dung indicated Vietnam is ready to sign a five-year economic and
trade cooperation agreement.
'Chinese enterprises are welcomed to invest in Vietnam,' he was
quoted as saying.
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