Former Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Ho Xuan Son, former Chairman of the National Border Committee, recalled his feelings at the time when Vietnam and China completed negotiations on demarcation and placement of border markers on land 25 years ago (2009), at a commemorative conference organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs this morning, August 2nd.
Mr. Son recounted that in April 1978, he and several others were sent by the government to study in Beijing, China. While the train was passing through Dong Dang station ( Lang Son province ), he heard a story about a Vietnamese border guard soldier being injured by Chinese soldiers in the border area.
Former Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Ho Xuan Son
"I was truly shocked, because this was the first time there had been a border dispute between Vietnam and China. I understood that this was a ticking time bomb in the relationship between Vietnam and China, which is both comradely and fraternal," Mr. Son recounted.
On August 26, 1978, Mr. Son worked as an interpreter for the head of the China Affairs Department, communicating with the Chinese ambassador regarding the murder of border guard soldier Le Dinh Chinh.
“From then on, I understood that the border was a barometer of relations between the two countries. That barometer was showing that the provocations and incursions along the Vietnam-China border were becoming increasingly tense, meaning that Vietnam-China relations were deteriorating,” Mr. Son recalled, adding that by February 17, 1979, the provocations and incursions along the border had escalated into a war along the entire border line.
According to the former Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, immediately after the normalization of relations, Vietnam and China urgently negotiated on the land border. By the end of 2008, out of 289 disputed areas, two areas were grouped together: Ban Gioc Waterfall and the Bac Luan River estuary. Due to the negotiation process where neither side was willing to compromise, these two areas had to be left for final resolution.
“On November 29, 2008, I participated in the Prime Minister's delegation to the Bac Luan River estuary in Quang Ninh province. I remember the Prime Minister (former Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung – PV) saying: Quang Ninh province has a strategic location, with a market of 200 million people (referring to the population of Guangdong, Guangxi, and Hainan provinces of China), Quang Ninh must seize this opportunity to become a growth pole of the North. For a long time, the whole country has supported Quang Ninh. Now it is time for Quang Ninh to also support the whole country. In the near future, the Central Party Committee will decide how to resolve the issue of Tuc Lam reef (one of the disputed points in the demarcation and placement of border markers on land at the Bac Luan River estuary – PV), and I hope you all will agree and support it,” Mr. Son shared.
Mr. Son said that a month later, Vietnam and China negotiated in Hanoi. The two sides engaged in fierce back-and-forth. Around 6 PM on December 31, 2008, the head of the Vietnamese delegation proposed a temporary halt to negotiations to meet with the press and announce that the border demarcation and marker placement had been completed, as it would have to be resolved that very night anyway.
"After meeting with the press, the two sides continued negotiations until 2:00 AM on January 1, 2009, when they resolved the issues related to Ban Gioc Waterfall and the Bac Luan River estuary, putting an end to the demarcation and placement of markers along the entire Vietnam-China land border," Mr. Son said.
"We raised our glasses in celebration, our eyes welling up with tears as we thought of the countless sacrifices made by our compatriots and soldiers to achieve the peaceful border we have today."
We understand that without good relations between the two countries, the border issue cannot be resolved. But without a peaceful and friendly border, it is also difficult to have a solid foundation for mutual trust and enhanced cooperation and development. These two aspects are closely intertwined and influence each other.”
Former Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Ho Xuan Son
"As good as the eras of President Ho Chi Minh and Chairman Mao Zedong"
Have Vietnam and China fully utilized the advantages of a peaceful, friendly, cooperative, and developing border? Mr. Ho Xuan Son believes that, alongside the tremendous achievements, there are still some delays in implementing the common understanding of high-level leaders regarding some cooperation projects in the border region.
He cited the "One Belt, Two Corridors" project, particularly the connection between the Hai Phong – Hanoi – Lao Cai railway and the Hekou – Kunming railway, which has been under study since 2005 but has been delayed for 20 years without being implemented. Meanwhile, in 2017, China completed the Nanning – Kunming – Fangcheng railway to reach the Gulf of Tonkin. In 2021, China completed the Kunming – Vientiane railway and will soon complete the Vientiane – Bangkok line to reach the sea.
In addition, issues such as cross-border economic zones in Lang Son and Cao Bang, tourism cooperation at Ban Gioc Waterfall (Cao Bang), and free passage of ships in the Bac Luan estuary area were raised quite early by leaders of both sides, but have yet to be implemented.
"I suggest that on this anniversary, we should review the obstacles in the aforementioned cooperation projects, identify the causes, and determine how to resolve them. Following this, we should discuss with the Chinese side to find solutions, aiming to bring tangible benefits to both sides as soon as possible," Mr. Son proposed.
Head of the Central Committee's Foreign Affairs Department, Le Hoai Trung, delivered a speech at the conference.
In his speech at the conference, Head of the Central Committee's Foreign Affairs Department Le Hoai Trung also emphasized the importance of resolving border issues in the relationship between the two countries. "Successfully resolving border issues helps promote relations. Conversely, good relations facilitate the resolution of border issues," Mr. Le Hoai Trung stated.
Mr. Trung emphasized that Vietnam-China relations are developing well. This is an extremely important condition for consolidating a peaceful, friendly, cooperative, and developing border. "High-ranking Chinese leaders have said that the current Vietnam-China relationship is as good as it was during the time of President Ho Chi Minh and Chairman Mao Zedong," Mr. Trung added.
Regarding future tasks, Mr. Trung emphasized the need to modernize border gate management, as there is still much work to be done. In addition, the Head of the Central Committee's Foreign Affairs Department suggested seriously studying the Chinese side's proposals regarding border gates, such as the issue of smart border gates, or tourism cooperation at Ban Gioc Waterfall in Cao Bang province.
These are also issues raised by the National Border Committee, Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This agency proposes that the Government allocate additional funds to invest in the construction of border patrol roads, border monitoring and protection facilities, and border markers.
Simultaneously, invest in transportation infrastructure connecting border areas with the interior, develop railway and road transport systems connecting across the Vietnam-China border, and improve infrastructure at border gates, transforming the Vietnam-China border region into a gateway for trade between China and ASEAN.
In addition, it is necessary to modernize and digitize border and border gate management; and upgrade equipment to support the work of border management forces in the field.
Regarding tourism cooperation at Ban Gioc Waterfall, this agency proposed that the Cao Bang Provincial People's Committee actively exchange information and coordinate with the Chinese side to continue the pilot operation of the Ban Gioc Waterfall scenic area. At the same time, they proposed and agreed on a plan and direction for the official operation of the Ban Gioc Waterfall scenic area after the pilot operation concludes on September 15th.
Thanhnien.vn
Source: https://thanhnien.vn/cuoc-dam-phan-toi-2-gio-sang-ve-bien-gioi-dat-lien-viet-trung-185240802121334507.htm
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