Top Chinese commander’s goodwill gesture to Vietnam
CMC vice-chairman’s appeal for common ground comes as both countries prepare for landmark meetings this year
Tensions between Hanoi and Beijing could be easing with a top Chinese military commander calling on China and Vietnam to step up cooperation along their land border.
At the site of a brief border war nearly four decades ago, Central Military Commission vice-chairman Fan Changlong told Vietnamese Defence Minister Ngo Xuan Lich that both sides should “look at the broader picture, strengthen mutual trust ... and constantly deepen practical communication”.
Fan issued the call at a land border defence meeting held on the weekend in the neighbouring areas of Yunnan province in China and Lai Chau province in Vietnam, according to a Chinese defence ministry statement.
Ties between two countries have been strained by disputes over the South China Sea, particularly after Hanoi began drilling for oil in the contested waters in June.
Hanoi’s move prompted Fan to cut short his trip to Vietnam at the time and cancel a border defence meeting with Vietnamese officials.