China, Vietnam say they'll negotiate sea disputes

BEIJING: China and Vietnam say they're committed to negotiating maritime disputes to avoid a recurrence of tensions that spiked when China deployed an oil rig in waters claimed by Hanoi.

The statement followed talks Wednesday in Beijing between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Vietnamese special envoy Le Hong Anh to resolve tensions dating from the rig's deployment in May.

The move triggered fury in Hanoi, but China rejected Vietnamese complaints and pulled the rig out on its own terms in July.

Xi was quoted by state broadcaster CCTV as saying the sides were committed to their traditional friendship and wished to avoid frictions. The official Xinhua News Agency said they would work toward a durable and mutually acceptable solution.