China and Brunei Darussalam issue joint press release

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, May 5 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi paid an official visit to Brunei Darussalam on May 4, 2013. The two sides issued a joint press release. The text is as follows:

At the invitation of His Royal Highness Prince Mohamed Bolkiah, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Brunei Darussalam, Foreign Minister Wang Yi of the People's Republic of China visited Brunei Darussalam on 4 May 2013.

During the visit, Foreign Minister Wang Yi was received in audience by His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu'izzaddin Waddaulah, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam and held talks with His Royal Highness Prince Mohamed Bolkiah, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

The two sides spoke highly of His Majesty's state visit to China in April 2013 and agreed to implement in full the important agreement reached between the leaders of the two countries.

The two sides expressed their belief that the establishment of the strategic cooperative relationship between the two countries represented a milestone.

The two sides recognized the important progress made in energy cooperation and agreed to actively advance exchanges and cooperation in economic, trade, security, cultural and other areas to enrich these strategic cooperative relationships.

China reiterated that it fully supported Brunei Darussalam in hosting the important regional meetings as the rotating chair of ASEAN in 2013, and supported ASEAN's central role in regional cooperation.

The two sides agreed to take the opportunity of the 10th anniversary of the China-ASEAN strategic partnership to intensify exchanges; increase mutual trust; and advance cooperation vigorously in important areas such as connectivity, maritime affairs and regional economic integration thus contributing to the prosperity and development of the region.

The two sides believed that the mainstream of China-ASEAN relations is good-neighborly friendship and mutually beneficial cooperation. China and ASEAN, as strategic partners, have the ability to maintain peace and stability in the region. The current disputes are not an issue between China and ASEAN and they should be peacefully resolved through friendly consultations and negotiations between the parties directly concerned.

All parties should implement the Declaration on the Conduct of the Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) in a comprehensive and effective way, carry out and strengthen maritime practical cooperation, advance the Code of Conduct (COC) progress in a step by step manner during the implementation of the consensus. In this process, all parties should increase communication, build consensus, promote mutual trust and confidence.

The two sides agreed to continue to hold the SOM on implementation of the DOC; hold the Joint Working Group meeting on the implementation of the DOC in Thailand in May this year; and discuss how to advance the COC process under this framework.

The two sides also agreed to establish an Eminent Persons and Experts Group (EPEG) on COC and that discussions under the EPEG and the Joint Working Group would reinforce and complement each other.

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