China, Vietnam agree to resume military ties after territory disputeOctober 18, 2014 - 14:52 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - China and Vietnam agreed to resume military ties and better manage their maritime disputes in the first signs that tensions over territorial claims could be easing, the Associated Press reported. Despite fraternal ties between their ruling Communist parties, relations between the two countries grew tense this year after China deployed an oil rig near the Paracel Islands, which are also claimed by Hanoi. The vessels of the two sides rammed each other near the rig, and there were deadly anti-China riots in several industrial parks in Vietnam, leading to an exodus of thousands of Chinese workers. During a visit to China this week, Vietnamese Defense Minister Phung Quang Thanh said it was "extremely necessary" to maintain a healthy and stable relationship to settle disputes, the Vietnamese People's Army newspaper said Saturday, Oct 18. Thanh said the military forces should practice restraint, closely control activities at sea and avoid use of force or threats to use force, the newspaper said. In a meeting with Thanh in Beijing on Friday, Chinese Vice President Li Yuanchao called on the two countries to enhance political trust and manage maritime disputes, China's official Xinhua News Agency said. Thanh also met with his Chinese counterpart, Chang Wanquan, and both sides decided to resume military ties and "play a positive role" in handling the disputes, the news agency said. Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, meanwhile, met his Vietnamese counterpart, Nguyen Tan Dung, on Thursday on the sidelines of the Asia-Europe Meeting in Milan, Italy, Xinhua said. The two agreed to properly handle maritime differences and keep bilateral ties on the right track, it said. At the same time, highlighting the complexity of shifting alliances in the region, Vietnam has been reaching out to the United States, which says it has an interest in the maintaince of peace and stability and freedom of navigation and earlier this month announced it was partially lifting a ban on weapons sales on Hanoi. Related links: Top stories Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev arrived in Moscow on April 22 to hold talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". Partner news | Get Started: An educational platform for young startuppers The Get Started program which operates in two phases is an important platform for young startuppers. Byblos Bank Armenia celebrates Students' Day with scholarship recipients YSU students who received scholarships from Byblos Bank Armenia gathered in a casual setting to meet with the Bank's CEO, Hayk Stepanyan. Azerbaijan extends Rune Vardanyan’s arrest by 5 months A court in Azerbaijan has extended the arrest of former Nagorno-Karabakh leader Ruben Vardanyan by five months. Armenia border residents dissatisfied with delimitation Residents Kirants are dissatisfied with the results of the delimitation of the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan. |