国内英语新闻:China-Vietnam government delegations meet on border talks

HANOI, Dec. 6 (Xinhua) -- Chinese and Vietnamese government delegations convened Friday on border negotiation.

Chinese Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Liu Zhenmin and Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Ho Xuan Son co- chaired the meeting.

During their talks, the two sides affirmed the positive progress of the working groups on waters outside the mouth of the Beibu Gulf, the expert group on maritime cooperation in less sensitive areas and the China-Vietnam Land Border Joint Committee. The two sides also mapped out specific working directions for 2014.

The two sides announced to establish the Working Group for Consultation on China-Vietnam Joint Maritime Development as one of the measures to implement the consensus reached by leaders of the two countries. The two heads of the working group are to hold their first meeting in January 2014.

The two sides also agreed to promote cross-border and maritime cooperation and jointly safeguard peace and stability in the South China Sea based on the consensus reached by leaders of the two countries and the China-Vietnam comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership.

Both sides agreed that the fine development momentum of the bilateral relations should be maintained, thus further strengthening high-level exchanges, promoting three lines of cooperation in maritime, land and finance and boosting cooperation in regional and international issues as well as pragmatic cooperation in other areas.

On the same day, the Chinese delegation met with Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh.