But the resultant stabilization of bilateral ties does not imply that China and Vietnam have refrained from complaining about matters relating to the South China Sea.

The South China Sea issue is very sensitive for China and Vietnam both. And the May-July drilling incident has sent a strong signal to both countries that just one incident at sea, if not well managed, can throw bilateral ties off balance and create tension. More importantly, the two sides have realized that damage to mutual trust takes a long time to repair.

The drilling incident may not have long-term repercussions on bilateral ties, but it has created the need for both countries to reconsider their positions and policies as well as to further develop the bilateral management approach. And this approach has to be further developed to address all the disputes between the two countries.

If this is not done, drilling-like incidents are likely to recur in areas that are not included on the bilateral agenda and hence not covered by the approach.

This year could be decisive in terms of how the two countries will address their disputes in the South China Sea. The challenge is to properly manage these differences. Perhaps the bilateral dispute management approach has to be developed to the highest level and all outstanding issues have to be addressed. If carried out successfully, this will elevate the traditional friendship and deepen comprehensive strategic cooperation between China and Vietnam.

Ramses Amer is an associate professor at the Institute for Security & Development Policy, Sweden, and Li Jianwei is director and research fellow of the National Institute for South China Sea Studies, China.

Courtesy: China& US Focus