Premier seeks talks over dispute

Premier Li Keqiang said in Hanoi on Monday that peacefully handling the South China Sea issue matters in the big picture of economic cooperation between China and Vietnam.

Observers said Li has sent a clear signal during his three-day visit to Vietnam that bilateral negotiation is the "only worthy way" for resolving disputes, and worsening the situation will only harm the interests of Vietnam itself.

"Whether the South China Sea issue is properly handled or not is not only an emotional matter between the two peoples, but also a matter of politics and security circumstances for expanding large-scale cooperation, including infrastructure investment," Li told General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Nguyen Phu Trong.

Trong said Hanoi is willing to maintain frequent contact with Beijing, firmly support the relationship, and properly handle disputes to ensure the healthy, stable development of relations between the two countries.

When meeting with Vietnamese President Truong Tan Sang, Li said the two sides have the full capability and wisdom to overcome difficulty and "cement the basis of the two countries' shared interests".

Sang said Vietnam is "deeply satisfied" with the fruits of the Chinese premier's visit and has both the determination and confidence in effectively implementing the recently reached bilateral consensus-deepening the partnership simultaneously in maritime, onshore and financial cooperation.

The relationship between Vietnam and China has been overshadowed by maritime frictions in the South China Sea, but the two countries have made efforts to maintain frequent high-level exchanges this year.

The Vietnamese president, prime minister and deputy prime minister visited China earlier this year.

Qu Xing, president of the China Institute of International Studies, said Beijing has stressed unchanged emphasis on the relationship with Hanoi and recently Hanoi has delivered more positive signals and acted "more proactively" for improving the relationship.

The Chinese premier has seen a fruitful result during the trip, as he and his Vietnamese counterpart Nguyen Tan Dung told reporters after their talks on Sunday that the two countries will establish three working groups on maritime joint development, onshore infrastructure and financial cooperation.

Questions:

1. Premier Li said there is only one “worthy way” to handle disputes. What is that?

2. Which issue did Premier Li discuss with Vietnam?

3. Which Vietnamese officials visited China earlier this year?

Answers:

1. Bilateral negotiation.

2. Maritime friction in the South China Sea.

3. The president, prime minister and deputy prime minister.

About the broadcaster:

Anne Ruisi is an editor at China Daily online with more than 30 years of experience as a newspaper editor and reporter. She has worked at newspapers in the U.S., including The Birmingham News in Alabama and City Newspaper of Rochester, N.Y.