China's Xi tells Vietnam wants peace in South China Sea

Vietnam's President Truong Tan Sang (R) and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping wave after a welcoming ceremony outside the Great Hall of the People in Beijing June 19, 2013. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon

BEIJING (Reuters) - Chinese President Xi Jinping told his visiting Vietnamese counterpart of Wednesday that maintaining peace and stability in the contested South China Sea was vital for both countries, who should remember their traditional friendship.

Beijing's assertion of sovereignty over a vast stretch of the South China Sea has set it directly against Vietnam and the Philippines, while Brunei, Taiwan and Malaysia also lay claim to other parts of the sea, making it Asia's biggest potential military trouble spot.