HANOI, April 15 (Xinhua) -- China and Vietnam have agreed to properly manage and resolve differences on maritime issues.
The two countries made the announcement Tuesday in a joint statement released on the occasion of Chinese President Xi Jinping's state visit to Vietnam.
The two sides had an in-depth and candid exchange of views on maritime issues and stressed the need to better manage and actively settle their differences and jointly safeguard peace and stability in the South China Sea, said the statement.
The two sides agreed to, through friendly consultations, actively seek a fundamental and long-term solution acceptable to both sides and in line with the agreement on the basic principles guiding the settlement of sea-related matters between China and Vietnam as well as international law such as the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, said the statement.
They also agreed not to take actions that would complicate the situation and escalate the disputes, in order to jointly maintain maritime stability, said the statement.