Thursday, August 22, 2024

"Vietnam, China sign 14 agreements during top leader’s visit to Beijing"

From Radio Free Asia, August 20:

A meeting with President Xi ended with pledges to develop infrastructure, including railways.

As Vietnam’s new leader To Lam wrapped up a three-day visit to China on Tuesday, the two nations agreed to cooperate on building three cross-border rail links, the most prominent of 14 agreements between the two countries.

They also agreed to cooperate on health issues and news distribution, phytosanitary requirements for fresh coconuts and frozen durian exports from Vietnam, as well as quarantine and health requirements for Vietnam’s exports of farmed crocodiles.

Lam and Chinese President Xi Jinping had pledged in a meeting on Monday to address territorial conflicts in the South China Sea to “maintain peace and stability,” and to work together to “continue bolstering collaboration in security and defense, boosting economic, trade and investment cooperation,” the Vietnamese government said in a statement.

The two nations have clashed The two sides have clashed over competing territorial claims in the South China Sea, which have earned diplomatic rebukes from Hanoi and sparked widespread public protests in Vietnam.

Infrastructure
The main focus Tuesday was on infrastructure development, including a 555-kilometer (345-mile) Vientiane-Vung Ang railway, linking the Lao capital with a Vietnamese port.

Lam asked for China’s support through “high-quality investment” in key projects, bringing together Hanoi’s “Two Corridors One Belt” policy and Beijing’s “Belt and Road” initiative, to construct “major and symbolic works to match their political trust,” Vietnam said....

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