HANOI, April 26 (dpa): Chinese Defence Minister Wei Fenghe and his Vietnamese counterpart Phan Van Giang strengthened the two nations' military cooperation and discussed tensions in the South China Sea during a three-day visit to Hanoi.
Wei, who is visiting Hanoi from April 24-27, said in closed-door meetings on Sunday that cooperation on defence between the two nations remained vital to securing peace and stability in the region, the Vietnamese Defence Ministry said in a statement late on Sunday.
Giang reiterated Vietnam's stance on tensions in the South China sea, namely that it looks to resolve disputes in accordance with international law, primarily via the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
Beijing claims almost all of the resource-rich South China Sea as its territory and has built artificial islands with military-capable facilities over reefs and outcrops in the area, which are also claimed in part by Vietnam.
In March, tensions soared after China sent 200 militia-staffed vessels to Whitsun reef in the Spratly Islands, claimed by Vietnam, Malaysia, the Philippines and China.
"Tensions in the South China Sea, including the recent presence of large Chinese vessels at Whitsun Reef, endanger peace and stability in the region," a European Union spokesperson said in a statement on Saturday.
On Friday, the Philippines also criticised China over its failure to remove the flotilla of "threatening" boats.
Following their bilateral talks, Giang and Wei signed a memorandum of understanding focused on strengthening cooperation between their respective nation's armies. - dpa
Wei, who is visiting Hanoi from April 24-27, said in closed-door meetings on Sunday that cooperation on defence between the two nations remained vital to securing peace and stability in the region, the Vietnamese Defence Ministry said in a statement late on Sunday.
Giang reiterated Vietnam's stance on tensions in the South China sea, namely that it looks to resolve disputes in accordance with international law, primarily via the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
Beijing claims almost all of the resource-rich South China Sea as its territory and has built artificial islands with military-capable facilities over reefs and outcrops in the area, which are also claimed in part by Vietnam.
In March, tensions soared after China sent 200 militia-staffed vessels to Whitsun reef in the Spratly Islands, claimed by Vietnam, Malaysia, the Philippines and China.
"Tensions in the South China Sea, including the recent presence of large Chinese vessels at Whitsun Reef, endanger peace and stability in the region," a European Union spokesperson said in a statement on Saturday.
On Friday, the Philippines also criticised China over its failure to remove the flotilla of "threatening" boats.
Following their bilateral talks, Giang and Wei signed a memorandum of understanding focused on strengthening cooperation between their respective nation's armies. - dpa
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