Vietnam highly values RoK’s New Southern Policy
VOV.VN - Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son voiced Vietnam’s high appreciation of the Republic of Korea’s New Southern Policy that considers Vietnam and ASEAN as key partners, during his talks with RoK Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong in Hanoi on June 23.
Vietnam expects both countries will further deepen their strategic cooperation partnership, especially when they are celebrating 30 years of bilateral diplomacy in 2022, said Son.
He suggested that the RoK create favourble conditions for Vietnamese goods, particularly agricultural products, to enter its market, and join the global supply chain of Korean enterprises, aiming to balance bilateral trade and increase two-way trade to US$100 billion in the time to come.
He also suggested the RoK improve investment quality in Vietnam, expand cooperation in labour and science & technology, and assist Vietnam in accessing COVID-19 vaccines in order to repel the pandemic, promote economic recovery, and bring people-to-people exchanges back to normal.
For his part, Minister Chung Eui-yong affirmed that in implementing its New Southern Policy the RoK government attaches importance to and wishes to develop cooperative relations with Vietnam.
The Republic of Korea is a close partner of Vietnam in the process of implementing its socio-economic development goals, stressed Chung.
He shared Vietnam’s desires to balance bilateral trade and expressed hoped that Vietnam will continue to facilitate Korean businesses’ operation in the country so as to stabilize the supply chain in the context of the current COVID-19 pandemic.
Both host and guest agreed that the two sides increase regular contacts and visit exchanges to elevate their strategic cooperation partnership to new heights.
On regional and international issues of mutual concern, the two sides agreed to continue to coordinate closely and cooperate effectively at multilateral mechanisms such as the United Nations, ASEAN, and the Greater Mekong Sub-region. In this regard, they vowed to support Vietnam in fulfilling its role as coordinator of the ASEAN-RoK relations, starting from August 2021.
They consented to support the maintenance of peace and stability in the region, as well as the settlement of disputes, including those in the East Sea, by peaceful measures, in accordance with international law, while promoting dialogue and cooperation on the Korean Peninsula.
Following talks, the two Foreign Ministers witnessed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding on the COVID-19 response programme between the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology (NIHE) and the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA).
