Vietnam, RoK further strategic cooperative partnership

Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh held talks with the Republic of Korea’s Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se in Hanoi on March 20 to elevate the two countries’ strategic cooperative partnership to a new height.

In a friendly and candid atmosphere, the two sides reviewed notable achievements in the bilateral relations over the past 25 years and discussed measures to implement effectively the common perceptions reached by the two nations’ leaders.

Minh said Vietnam firmly pursues the diplomatic policy of independence, self-reliance, multilateralisation and diversification of international integration.

Vietnam attaches great importance to strengthening relations with the RoK and hopes to shake hands with the country to increase mutual political trust and expand collaboration at multilateral forums, he added.

He proposed the RoK actively promote high-level delegation exchanges and increasing cooperation with Vietnamese ministries and localities.

He suggested embracing bilateral economic and trade links for stable, balanced and sustainable development, while implementing effectively the Vietnam – RoK free trade agreement and enacting measures to balance trade between the two countries, especially reducing Vietnam’s trade deficit with the RoK.

Minh asked the RoK to facilitate the entry of Vietnamese agro-forestry-fisheries into the RoK’s market and support the Southeast Asian nation to join the RoK’s global production and supply chains, while encouraging Korean businesses to increase investment in infrastructure development, renewable energy, support industry, food processing, agriculture and seafood.

He also proposed the RoK actively engage in the restructuring of State-run enterprises and the banking system in Vietnam, maintain the provision of non-refundable aid packages and official development assistance (ODA) for Vietnam, and soon reach the signing of the framework credit agreement in the 2016-2020 period.

Vietnam and RoK are also expected to bolster coordination in the fields of industry, agriculture, science-technology, transport, culture, education, tourism, and people-to-people exchanges, he said.

During the talks, the two sides agreed to enhance coordination in regional and international multilateral mechanisms of the United Nations, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), and the Mekong – RoK, to promote the settlement of differences, including East Sea disputes via peaceful means and international law and respect for diplomatic and legal procedures as well as navigation freedom, security and safety.

They also concurred to fully implement the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) and soon complete the Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC), contributing to the maintenance of peace, security, and development in the region and beyond.

Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se affirmed that the ministry will continue coordinating with Vietnam to step up the implementation of high-level agreements in the most practical and effective manner, to lift the bilateral strategic cooperative partnership to a new height and in celebration of the 25th anniversary of their diplomatic ties.-VNA