The Beibu Gulf Demarcation Agreement and the Beibu Gulf Fishery
Cooperation Agreement, which were signed by the presidents of China
and Vietnam on December 25, 2000, officially came into effect on
June 30.
China and Vietnam held a ceremony on Wednesday in Hanoi, the
capital of Vietnam, to exchange documents approving the agreement
on the demarcation of the territorial waters, exclusive economic
zones and continental shelves of the two countries in the Beibu
Gulf. Documents concerning the agreement on Beibu Gulf fishery
cooperation were also exchanged.
The area that is the subject of the agreements is known in
Vietnam as the Gulf of Tonkin.
At the ceremony, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi and
his Vietnamese counterpart, Vu Dung, signed and exchanged the
documents.
Also on Wednesday, Vietnamese Deputy Minister Vu Khoan met with
Wang Yi, saying that the activation of the two agreements is a
significant event in the two countries' relations that creates
conditions for building stability and peace in the gulf and
enhances their friendly and comprehensive ties.
Wang Yi stated that the two agreements result from attention
paid by the two countries' leaders, the direction of the two
governments and the joint efforts of both sides. They are
beneficial to peace and stability on the Sino-Vietnamese border,
long-term peace and stability in the gulf and the brighter
development of relations between the two countries.
He said he hoped that both countries would cooperate and jointly
implement the two agreements well, and rapidly and satisfactorily
settle new issues.
The Standing Committee of the 10th National People's Congress,
China's top legislature, and the National Assembly of Vietnam
ratified the Beibu Gulf Demarcation Agreement earlier in the
month.
While signing the agreement in December 2000, China and Vietnam
also inked the Beibu Gulf Fishery Cooperation Agreement and
promised that both agreements would take effect at the same time in
June 2004.
Negotiations on the demarcation of territorial waters between
southern China and northern Vietnam in the Beibu Gulf had continued
since 1992.
(Xinhua News Agency, China.org.cn July 1, 2004)