Hanoi (VNA) – The state visit to the Republic of Korea (RoK) from August 10 to 13 by Party General Secretary To Lam and his spouse will make a significant contribution to enhancing political trust and elevating practical cooperation between the two countries, Permanent Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Minh Vu told the press.
This is the first state visit to the RoK by General Secretary Lam in his current position. The fact that the RoK invited the General Secretary to visit as its first “state-level guest” demonstrates the East Asian country’s high regard for relations with Vietnam as well as for its Party leader personally.
Vu assessed that this will be an opportunity for the two sides to engage in in-depth strategic discussions, identify directions and measures to develop their relations in a substantive, comprehensive, and effective manner; and at the same time, open up new development orientations in important and potential areas of collaboration, especially in science and technology and innovation, thereby bringing practical benefits to the two countries' people and contributing to peace, stability, cooperation, and development in the region and the world.
The visit will also offer a chance for Vietnam to show to Korean friends and the international community its determination and aspiration to build a prosperous and strong nation, and maximise international resources to serve the country’s development goals in the new era. In the context of Vietnam formulating and implementing major national development orientations, this trip further underscores the country’s foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, diversification and multilateralisation of external relations, and proactive, active, comprehensive, extensive, and effective international integration.
In addition, it will open up new areas of cooperation such as science and technology, innovation, and digital transformation, including semiconductors and artificial intelligence (AI), as well as collaboration in sharing experience and developing the cultural industry, thereby bringing practical benefits to the people and business communities of both countries, the official assessed.
Regarding the bilateral ties, Deputy PM Vu said that more than 30 years after the establishment of diplomatic relations, the relationship between Vietnam and the RoK has become a model of a very special, effective, and substantive partnership.
It has reached its highest framework - Comprehensive Strategic Partnership - with a very high level of political trust, thanks to substantive cooperation in various fields that has brought tangible benefits to the people and business communities of both sides.
In politics and diplomacy, they regularly maintain delegation exchanges and contacts at high and other levels, promote the rotational implementation of cooperation mechanisms, especially in the fields of politics, defence, and security.
Economy, trade, and investment continue to be among the key pillars of bilateral cooperation. The RoK is currently Vietnam’s largest investor and its third-biggest trading partner. Meanwhile, Vietnam is the RoK’s top priority partner for development assistance. Collaboration in culture, education, labour, tourism, and other areas has recorded significant achievements as well.
There are over 350,000 Vietnamese in the RoK and more than 200,000 Koreans in Vietnam, and about 100 localities on both sides have established people-to-people friendship exchanges.
In addition, the two countries’ exchange and strategic coordination at regional and international forums in addressing issues of mutual concern have been strengthened and enhanced, Vu shared.
The official expressed his belief that the outcomes of the top Vietnamese leader’s visit will serve as a driving force and source of inspiration for the two countries to inherit, promote, and elevate their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, contributing to the national construction and development cause in each country, and to peace, cooperation, and development in the region and the world./.
