Xi Jinping urged China and Vietnam to work together to resolve South China Sea disputes

Almaty. November 10. Silkroadnews - Xi Jinping urged China and Vietnam to work together to resolve disputes in the South China Sea, South China Morning Post reported.
“Xi Jinping calls on China, Vietnam to work together to settle South China Sea disputes,” the report said.
The dispute over islands and sea areas in the South China Sea involving at least six countries, including Vietnam and China, is likely to become the main topic at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Da Nang, Vietnam scheduled for Saturday. It is expected that Xi Jinping will also take part in the summit.
The dispute will also be considered at the East Asia Summit in Philippines on Monday and Tuesday. The Philippines is one of the contenders for disputed territories. In total, 18 countries will take part in the summit, including Vietnam, the United States and Russia.
China often refers to Vietnam as its “friend” and “comrade”, mainly because both countries share communist political systems.
However, their disputes over the South China Sea made bilateral relations tense. Vietnam even began to strengthen its defense ties with the United States, Japan and India.
In July, pressured by Beijing Vietnam suspended oil drilling operations in sea waters claimed by China. A month later Vietnam said it opposed to Chinese military exercises that occurred near the disputed Paracel Islands.
On the eve of the APEC summit, a group of Chinese delegates signed 83 trade deals with Vietnam for a total of $1.94 billion.
The U.S. President Donald Trump will deliver a keynote speech to APEC following the three-day talks in Beijing during his first official visit to Asia.
According to the Chinese Foreign Ministry, Xi will speak at the APEC summit before leaving for official state visits to Vietnam and Laos.