New era of Vietnam - RoK strategic co-operative partnership

General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong’s visit to the Republic of Korea (RoK), at the invitation of President Park Geun-hye, concluded with success. In a joint statement, the two leaders underlined the need to comprehensively develop the RoK-Vietnam strategic co-operative partnership.

General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and RoK President Park Geun-hye

The two leaders expressed their commitment to intensifying co-operation in various fields including politics and security; national defence; trade and economy; society and culture; as well as regional and international issues. The leaders agreed to seek measures to further strengthen the current inter-governmental committee in taking bilateral co-operation to a higher level.

At a time when friendly relations, trust, and mutual understanding between Vietnam and the RoK are witnessing continuous development, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong’s state visit to the RoK is a significant political event for both countries who share many similarities in culture and the tradition of self-reliance.

The two leaders congratulated the development of Vietnam-RoK relations in recent years−especially since the strategic co-operative partnership. Both sides agreed to seek measures to further strengthen political relations, promoting and enhancing the effectiveness of economic co-operation while opening a new era of deepening and strengthening the Vietnam-RoK strategic co-operative partnership. Leaders of the RoK government, national assembly, the ruling Saenuri Party, and representatives of RoK businesses and the RoK people gave a warm and friendly reception to General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong−an indication of friendly, sincere and trustworthy relations between the two countries.

There was an atmosphere of openness, friendliness, sincerity and mutual trust during talks on the Vietnam-RoK strategic co-operation partnership between General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and President Park Geun-hye, meetings between General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and RoK Prime Minister Jung Hong-won, Speaker of the RoK National Assembly Chung Eui-hwa, Chairman of the ruling Saenuri Party Kim Moo-sung, representatives of RoK enterprises, the RoK-Vietnam Friendship Association as well as during other events during General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong’s visit.

General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong expressed his delight in revisiting the beautiful RoK and witnessing the country’s major achievements and strong development in recent years, highly praising the position and role of the RoK in the region and in the world. The general secretary affirmed that Vietnam always considers developing the strategic co-operative partnership with the RoK a consistent strategic choice, one of the long-term priority in Vietnam’s foreign policy for the benefit of the two peoples, peace, stability and development in the region and in the world.

General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and President Park Geun-hye agreed to issue a joint statement in which the two leaders praised the robust development of the bilateral relationship since the beginning of diplomatic relations in 1992, and underlined the need to comprehensively develop and further deepen the Vietnam-RoK strategic co-operative partnership established in 2009. The two sides agreed to reinforce senior-level exchanges between the governments, legislative bodies, and political parties of both countries, and encouraged furthering existing channels of consultation to strengthen political-security co-operation and mutual trust.

The two sides also agreed to promote trade and investment by, inter alia, concluding the negotiation of RoK-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement within the year 2014. Both sides agreed to further expand and facilitate the implementation of on-going bilateral co-operation in labour, industry, agriculture, finance, and development projects−as well as in large-scale infrastructure construction projects−so as to effectively connect the two economies to support sustainable development.

The two leaders share the view that people-to-people exchanges form the sturdy foundation of the development of bilateral relations, and agreed to augment exchanges in various areas including education, science, culture, sports, and tourism. In addition, both leaders agreed to redouble efforts to enhance the security and welfare of nationals residing in each other's nation.

The two sides reaffirmed the RoK- Vietnam Joint Statement in 2013 and called upon the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea to fully comply with relevant UN Security Council resolutions as well as its commitments under the September 19, 2005 Joint Statement of the Six-Party Talks. Vietnam reaffirmed support for the RoK's Initiatives to promote dialogue, reduce tension, establish sustainable peace with the goal of peaceful reunification on the Korean Peninsula, and to promote peace and co-operation in Northeast Asia.

The leaders emphasised the importance of maintaining peace and stability; ensuring maritime security, safety, and freedom of navigation; and recognised the need to resolve issues in a peaceful manner in compliance with international law. Both recognised the importance of implementing the 2002 Declaration on Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC), and working towards the early adoption of the Code of Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (COC). The leaders shared the view that the ASEAN-RoK Commemorative Summit, to be held on December 11-12 in Busan in celebration of the 25th anniversary of the ASEAN-RoK dialogue relations, will be an important milestone in promoting the development of the ASEAN-RoK Strategic Partnership.

Important results produced during high-level talks and meetings between Vietnam and the RoK−as well as important co-operative documents signed during General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong’s visit−have added fresh impetus and opened a new era for Vietnam-RoK relations in the development of each country as well as for peace, stability and development in the region and in the world.

(Source: nhandan.org.vn)