President Tran Dai Quang and President Moon Jae-in of the Republic of Korea (RoK) affirmed their commitments and political determination to advance the relationship between Vietnam and the RoK in both depth and width during their talks in Hanoi on March 23. 


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Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang (R) and President Moon Jae-in of the Republic of Korea



Speaking at a press conference the same day to inform outcomes of the talks, President Quang said President Moon and him reached consensus on major orientations of the bilateral ties in the time ahead. 

They assessed the Vietnam-RoK relationship since the two countries set up diplomatic ties more than 25 years ago, and discussed regional and international issues of shared concern. 

Host and guest agreed to conduct annual exchanges of high-ranking delegations through flexible forms, while expanding exchanges and cooperation between Government and National agencies, political parties, and localities, focusing on such areas as diplomacy and national defence and security. 

They agreed to soon approve the Declaration on Joint Vision on Defence Cooperation between the two defence ministries, and reinforce mutual beneficial collaboration in the defence industry. 

The leaders discussed measures to expand economic partnership, stressing their determination to raise two-way trade to 100 billion USD by 2020, along with implementing solutions to balancing the trade.

They agreed to encourage cooperation in investment, especially in the support industry, electronics, energy, high technology and infrastructure.

President Tran Dai Quang said that the two sides will continue enhancing the quality and efficiency of affiliation in manufacturing, promoting the transfer of technology for the support, automobile, mechanical engineering, and garment and textile industries.

They will foster coordination in renewable energy, power safety and power saving solutions, while conducting all-round cooperation in environmental and natural resources protection.

Meanwhile, President Moon affirmed that the RoK will increase support for Vietnam in material and spare part manufacturing industries, thus building a sound foundation for trade ties.

In the area of development cooperation, leaders of the two countries concurred to bolster affiliation in transport, infrastructure, creating growth-motivating sources such as advanced technology, smart city, as well as exploiting achievements of the fourth industrial revolution.

Besides, the RoK will concentrate on investing in the central region of Vietnam through projects in war-era landmine clearance, and the building of hospitals and schools.

The two Presidents also outlined orientations for development cooperation as well as affiliation in training, industry, energy, environment, labour, culture, tourism, and people-to-people exchange. 

The RoK side regarded Vietnam as the country’s largest development assistance partner and pledged to continue its development assistance and preferential, suitable credit loans for Vietnam, particularly in science-technology, infrastructure and smart urban, clean energy, agriculture and rural development, climate change response, personnel training and public administration. 

The leaders consented to expand cooperation in culture, education and tourism, intensify mutual understanding and trust, and support citizens of the respective countries, while consolidating the social foundation for the bilateral ties. 

President Moon said the RoK will employ more measures to support and protect multicultural families, helping them have a more stable life. 

The two sides agreed to enhance cooperation at international forums and stressed the significance of ensuring peace, security, safety and freedom of navigation and overflight, and promoting the settlement of disputes and conflicts by peaceful measures, and in line with international law. 

While showing his joy at fruitful cooperation between the two countries in the recent time, President Quang expressed his belief in a bright future of the bilateral relations. 

He stressed with the political determination of the two sides’ senior officials and the support of the two people, the Vietnam-RoK strategic cooperative partnership will continue enjoying a more robust and effective multifaceted -development in the future, for the prosperity of the two nations, the sake of their people, and for peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world.

For his part, President Moon said his country and Vietnam are very special friends, adding that the similarities in history, culture and society, and traditional exchanges in the past and the people-to-people bonds today have made the two countries become closer.

The deep relationship between the two nations laid a foundation for their stronger economic, trade and investment cooperation, and Vietnam has become a key cooperative partner of the RoK and vice versa, he said. 

Vietnam is also the most important country in the New Southern Policy which is being implemented by the RoK government, he said.

RoK media: Vietnam is focus of President Moon's New Southern Policy

The Republic of Korea (RoK) President Moon Jae-in's state visit to Vietnam shows the importance he places on the country as he pushes for stronger ties with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) under his "New Southern Policy" unveiled last year, stated an article run by The Korea Times on March 23.

The article noted that this is President Moon’s second visit to the country in just four months since he was there in November 2017 for the 25th Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders’ Meeting. 

The repeated visits to Vietnam show Moon's eagerness to elevate bilateral relations to a new level, particularly on the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties, it said.

The article wrote that a meeting between the RoK leader and Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang on March 23 will be an opportunity for both sides to discuss economic cooperation. 

The article quoted President Moon as telling Vietnam News Agency ahead of the visit that the two countries have developed a level of bilateral cooperation that can set an example for the world.

The two countries are already indispensable trade partners of each other, it said, adding that cultural exchanges through the spread of Korean entertainment have brought the two countries closer.

“The state visit will hopefully cultivate stronger ties with Vietnam, which is one of the fastest-growing economies of Southeast Asia,” concluded the article.


VNA