Forum on Pan-Tonkin gulf Economic Cooperation Opens

A forum on Pan-Tonkin gulf economic cooperation was launched July 30 in Beihai, a coastal city in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, drawing over 400 delegates from Brunei, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippine, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

 

The Vietnamese delegation was led by Nguyen Xuan Thang, vice president of the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences.

 

The two-day event, the third of its kind, focuses on three main issues, including Pan-Tonkin Gulf economic cooperation amid an uncertain world economy; focal points, difficulties and prospects in Pan-Tonkin Gulf sub-regional cooperation, and the opening and development of the Tonkin Gulf Economic Zone and Pan-Tonkin Gulf economic cooperation.

 

In term of issues related to waters delineation of Tonkin Gulf, Vietnam and China agreed to keep the situation in the East Sea stable by maintaining peaceful negotiations on waters issues.

 

During the visit to Beijing by the Vietnamese party chief Nong Duc Manh early June at the invitation of his Chinese counterpart Hu Jintao, the two administrations pledged to continue efforts to implement Tonkin Gulf Demarcation agreement and pact on fisheries cooperation, carry out joint patrols as well as accelerate implementation of the Framework Agreement on Oil and Natural Gas Cooperation in Agreed Zones in Tonkin Gulf. (New Hanoi, VNA)