Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and other ASEAN leaders lauded the New Southern Policy of the Republic of Korea (RoK) and efforts by President Moon Jae-in in promoting the relations with ASEAN on the pillars of peace, prosperity and humans.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc

They made the statement at the 20th ASEAN-RoK Summit, which forms part of the 33rd ASEAN Summit and related meetings, in Singapore on November 14.

The leaders hailed the positive outcomes of the strategic partnership and comprehensive cooperation between the two sides.

The RoK remains the leading economic partner of ASEAN and has poured 5.3 billion USD into the bloc.

The two sides’ two-day trade topped 152.7 billion USD in 2017 and they are striving to raise the figure to 200 billion USD by 2020.

Cooperation has been accelerated across politics-security to economics, trade, investment, cultural exchange, and people-to-people exchange.

Towards the 30th anniversary of ASEAN-RoK partnership, the two sides agreed to organize a high-level conference to mark the event in the RoK in 2019 and at the same time actively carry out initiatives and specific cooperative activities.

The two sides agreed to step up cooperation in the fields where they share interests, like sea security, cyber security, science-technology, renovation, creativity, natural disaster and climate change response, people-to-people exchange, education, and others.

The ASEAN leaders welcomed the encouraging progress in the Korean peninsula, including the positive outcomes of the Inter-Korea Summit and the US-Korea Summit.

Countries asserted support for efforts to dialogue, reinforce trust, and promote peace, stability, and long-lasting denuclearization on the Korean peninsula, while continuing respecting and stringently implementing related resolutions adopted by the UN Security Council.

President Moon Jae-In spoke highly of ASEAN’s role in the region as well as the achievements the bloc attained in regional building and connection.

He said his country commits to continuing bolstering multi-dimensional cooperation with the bloc, especially in the areas that bring practical benefits for people.

On the occasion, President Moon announced that his country would double the ASEAN-RoK fund, launch initiatives to boost people-to-people exchange, provide 100 million USD for regional infrastructure development, improve ASEAN’s digital capacity, and assist the bloc to be prepared to respond to natural disasters and ensure cyber security.

Addressing the event, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc affirmed Vietnam’s backing of the RoK’s New Southern Policy to strengthen ties with ASEAN.

He agreed with the view to accelerate cooperation in the fields where the RoK has strength and ASEAN has demand, like e-commerce, green technology, scientific renovation, and smart urban. 

He spoke of the need to continue pushing up cooperation in politics and security on a par with the development of the economic and socio-cultural pillars, and increasing cultural and sport exchanges among youths.-VNA