MOSCOW, October 17 (RIA Novosti) - China and Vietnam have agreed to handle their maritime disputes in a proper way and to deepen military relations, People's Daily reported Friday.
The agreement was reached in the Chinese capital during talks between the country's Defense Minister Chang Wanquan and his Vietnamese counterpart Phung Quang Thanh.
Both parties also noted the importance of a gradual development of healthy and stable military relations. The Chinese minister said the visit by the Vietnamese delegation showed the positive political will of Vietnam, the Chinese newspaper reported.
Relations between the two countries have worsened as the Chinese side was displeased by what it claimed to be a continuous disturbance of oil drilling in the South China Sea near the Paracel Islands. However, the Islands, also known as Xisha in Chinese and Hoang Sa in Vietnamese, are under the control of China but claimed by both Vietnam and Taiwan.
Since the Chinese oil rig arrived in waters near the Islands at the beginning of May, Vietnam has sent its ships to prevent the platform's installation in what it considers its exclusive economic zone, while Beijing claims the area is part of its maritime belt. China began the withdrawal of its oil platform in July.
