HANOI, Nov. 6 -- China and Vietnam agreed to launch the inspection on the waters outside the mouth of the Beibu Gulf in December, said a joint communique released Friday.

According to the document, the two countries considered the inspection an important threshold for their further maritime cooperation.

The two sides also planned to steadily promote the negotiation of demarcation of the waters outside the mouth of the Beibu Gulf, and actively foster the joint development of these waters.