China and Vietnam on Wednesday held a ceremony in Hanoi to exchange documents on approving an agreement on the demarcation of the territorial water, the exclusive economic zones and the continental shelf of the two countries in the Beibu Gulf.

Meanwhile, the two countries also exchanged documents on coming into force of an agreement on Beibu Gulf fishery cooperation.

As a result, the Beibu Gulf Demarcation Agreement and the Beibu Gulf Fishery Cooperation Agreement, which were signed by China and Vietnam on Dec. 25, 2000 in Beijing, officially came into effect as of June 30, 2004.

At the ceremony, Wang Yi, Chinese vice minister of foreign affairs and head of the Chinese delegation, and Vu Dung, Vietnamese deputy minister of foreign affairs and the head of the ministry's Border Department, signed and exchanged the documents.

On the same day, Vietnamese Deputy Minister Vu Khoan met with Wang Yi, saying that the taking effect of the two agreements is a significant event in the two countries' relations, which creates conditions for building stability and peace in the Beibu Gulf, and helps enhance their friendly and comprehensive ties.

Wang Yi stated the signing and taking effect of the two agreements are results of attention paid by leaders of the two countries, the direction of the two governments, and the joint

efforts of the two sides, and are beneficial to the peace and stability for the Sino-Vietnamese border, the long-term peace and stability in the Beibu Gulf, and the brighter future development of the relations between the two countries.

He said he hoped that the two sides would soundly cooperate and jointly implement the two agreements well, and satisfactorily settle new situations and issues in the early stage of their implementation.

The 10th Standing Committee of the Chinese National People's Congress, or China's top legislature, and the National Assembly of Vietnam approved the Beibu Gulf Demarcation Agreement in June.

While signing the Beibu Gulf Demarcation Agreement, China and Vietnam also inked the Beibu Gulf Fishery Cooperation Agreement, and promised that the two agreements would take effect at the same time in June 2004.