Vietnam-China land border stable after 25 years of signing Border Treaty

On August 2, in Hanoi, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs held a conference to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the signing of the Border Treaty and the 15th anniversary of the signing of three legal documents on the Vietnam-China land border.

Party Central Committee Secretary, Head of the Party Central Committee's External Relations Commission Le Hoai Trung. Photo: VIET CHUNG

Speaking at the opening of the conference, Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son emphasized that territorial borders always have a special and sacred significance for each country and nation, especially for Vietnam, a country with a history closely associated with many struggles for national independence and national defense.

According to Minister Bui Thanh Son, after signing the Vietnam-China Land Border Treaty on December 30, 1999, the Government decided to establish the Government Steering Committee on land border demarcation and marker planting between Vietnam and China, with the standing agency being the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, establishing demarcation and marker planting steering committees under the Ministry of National Defense, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Ministry of Construction and the demarcation and marker planting steering committees of Vietnam-China border provinces.

On December 31, 2008, the demarcation and marker planting were completed. The two sides demarcated the entire 1,449.566km border in the field, planting 1,971 markers, including one marker at the Vietnam - Laos - China border junction, more than 1,548 main markers and 422 secondary markers. This system of markers has been marked, recorded and described in accordance with the actual terrain, ensuring objectivity, science , clarity, stability and long-term sustainability.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son. Photo: VIET CHUNG

To reach this result, the two countries had to go through nearly ten years of persistent efforts, conducting nine rounds of official negotiations at the Government level, many meetings between the two heads of delegations, and 39 rounds of negotiations at the Chairman level of the Joint Committee on Border Demarcation and Marker Planting.

On November 18, 2009, in Beijing, China, representatives of the two governments signed three legal documents on the land border between Vietnam and China, including: (1) Protocol on land border demarcation and marker planting between Vietnam and China, (2) Agreement on land border management regulations between Vietnam and China and (3) Agreement on border gates and border gate management to acknowledge all achievements in demarcation and marker planting in the field, establish legal regulations to coordinate the implementation of border management, protection, management and development between the two countries.

Then, on July 14, 2010, three legal documents on the land border between Vietnam and China came into effect, and the two sides officially managed the land border according to these documents.

According to Minister Bui Thanh Son, the completion of border demarcation and marker planting has great historical significance, marking an important turning point in the history of border construction between Vietnam and China, meeting the aspirations of the people of the two countries, contributing to creating and maintaining a peaceful and stable environment in the region and the world.

Since the completion of the demarcation and marker planting of the Vietnam-China land border and the beginning of border management according to three legal documents, the situation on the Vietnam-China land border has been basically stable, the border line and marker system has been maintained, and social order and security in the border area have been ensured.

At the conference, delegates listened to presentations related to the Vietnam-China land border issue; assessed the achievements, results and shortcomings and limitations arising in border management and protection to draw lessons and find solutions to overcome difficulties.

FLOWING WATER

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/bien-gioi-dat-lien-viet-nam-trung-quoc-on-dinh-sau-25-nam-ky-ket-hiep-uoc-bien-gioi-post752255.html