Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (R) receives RoK Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha in Hanoi on March 9 (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam and the Republic of Korea (RoK) are developing cooperation in many traditional aspects very well, and they should expand their ties to other fields in the time ahead, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc told RoK Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha in Hanoi on March 9.
The host leader said the two countries’ cooperation has been developed in a rapid, effective and trustworthy manner. While political ties have been reinforced, economic and trade partnerships have been growing strongly, bringing benefits to both sides.
He welcomed the RoK’s New Look South policy with the aim of promoting peace, stability and development, which considers Vietnam a key partner.
The two countries share many similarities and interests in bolstering bilateral cooperation. To strengthen their relations, they should continue enhancing mutual trust through maintaining mutual high-level visits and meetings, he noted.
He asked the countries to promote economic, trade and investment cooperation in a balanced, stable and effective fashion. They also need to take measures to boost bilateral trade to 100 billion USD in 2020, promote trade balance, and remove quarantine obstacles to facilitate the export of Vietnamese agro-forestry-fishery products, including star apple, to the RoK in 2018.
PM Phuc expressed his hope that the RoK will continue to be the top investor in Vietnam, involving in major infrastructure projects, renewable energy development, equitisation of State-owned enterprises and restructuring of local commercial banks.
[Vietnam – key partner in RoK’s New Look South policy: official]
At the meeting, he also asked the country to step up technology transfer, help Vietnamese businesses to participate in the production chains of RoK firms, and assist Vietnam in developing support industries.
The Vietnamese Government will create the best possible conditions for RoK companies to successfully operate in the country. RoK businesses are welcomed to invest in infrastructure development such as the North-South Expressway and Long Thanh Airport, he noted, adding that more favourable conditions will be provided to attract the RoK’s high technology investment.
The PM asked the RoK Government to increase receiving Vietnamese workers, especially skilled ones, foster tourism cooperation to bolster people-to-people exchange and mutual understanding, and increase direct air routes.
As both are coastal nations, Vietnam hopes the RoK will share its experience in developing a sea-based economy and support Vietnam and ASEAN’s viewpoint on the East Sea issue.
For her part, Minister Kang Kyung-wha thanked the Government and PM of Vietnam for supporting activities of Samsung, whose mobile phones manufactured in Vietnam have been exported to around the world.
She affirmed that her country pays special attention to the cooperation between the RoK and ASEAN, including Vietnam, which plays a very important role in this relationship.
The RoK is scheduled to host an ASEAN-RoK special summit in 2019, and it hopes that Vietnam will support this event so that both sides can intensify cooperation, she said, adding that her country backs Vietnam’s viewpoint on the East Sea issue.
The official said there are many Vietnamese people in the RoK and vice versa, which is a precious asset of both countries. The RoK Government is making efforts to support the Vietnamese community in her country.-VNA
VNA
