China and Vietnam are bonded by common interests that far outweigh all their differences, China's President Xi Jinping told Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc on Tuesday. Phúc is currently on a visit to China amid the escalating tension in the disputed the South China Sea region. He is the first Vietnamese prime minister to visit China in six years.

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"China and Vietnam can manage their differences and promote maritime cooperation through friendly negotiations," Xi told the Vietnamese Prime Minister, according to Xinhua.

Xi added that the South China Sea dispute must be resolved through bilateral discussion and all the challenges borne out of maritime disputes must be transformed into opportunities for cooperation.

A day earlier, Phuc met Chinese Primer Li Keqiang, Reuters reported. Li told Phuc that China and Vietnam must mutually work to maintain peace and stability in South China Sea region, China's foreign ministry revealed.

Phuc reciprocated Li's call for peace, saying that maritime disputes must not be allowed to affect bilateral relation, adding that territorial rows must be addressed through mutual respect and on the basis of equality.

Phuc's high-profile visit to China comes at a time when Vietnam has been steadily beefing up its military buildup to counter China's growing aggression in the South China Sea region. In a major boost to its defense procurement, earlier this month Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi signed a host of defense agreements with Vietnam. Later Japan announced that it would soon offer two patrol ships to Vietnam to boost Hanoi's maritime security.

Expert say Vietnam's military buildup is primarily focused on securing its 200 nautical miles exclusive economic zone  from encroachment and external aggression.     

Tagschina, Vietnam, Xi Jinping, Nguyễn Xuân Phúc