Premier Li Keqiang and Bruneian Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah vowed to strengthen maritime cooperation and encourage enterprises from both nations to push for joint exploration and exploitation of maritime resources during a meeting in Bandar Seri Begawan on Friday.

The two leaders said their countries welcomed the recent signing of a deal between China National Offshore Oil Corp and Brunei National Petroleum Co Sendirian Berhad on the establishment of a joint venture in oil field services. They also signed a Memorandum of Understanding on maritime cooperation and other documents for bilateral cooperation.

"The cooperation showed a good example of joint exploration and exploitation of maritime resources between China and Southeast Asian countries in the South China Sea," said Wu Shicun, head of the National Institute of South China Sea Studies.