Party and Government leaders host Speaker of RoK parliament

During the reception, the Vietnamese Party chief hailed the progress in the Vietnam - Republic of Korea (RoK) relations and welcomed the Korean parliament speaker’s official visit after both nations’ recent upgrade of their ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership.

Bilateral relations have been developing on the basis of the long-standing links, many common interests, complementary strengths, and achievements over the last 30 years since their diplomatic ties were established, Trong told his guest.

He suggested the countries maintain close coordination to develop cooperation more substantively and effectively, in which focus should be put on intensifying high-level mutual visits and meetings to deepen mutual understanding, discuss major policies and orientations for relations, and enhance connections between their ministries, sectors, and localities.

In terms of parliamentary diplomacy, they should build on the cooperation outcomes and share legislative experiences to offer favourable conditions for Vietnamese and Korean enterprises and people in each other’s countries, he went on to say

The Vietnamese Party leader expressed his confidence that the visit by Speaker Kim will greatly contribute to the comprehensive strategic partnership.

In response, Kim agreed with his host’s opinions about the enhancement of bilateral connections, expressing his delight at the fast development of the Vietnam-RoK ties, especially the upgrade to the comprehensive strategic partnership.

The Vietnam - RoK relationship is a typical example in international relations, he said, while affirming his nation’s recognition of importance to Vietnam’s position in its new strategies and initiatives towards the region, including the RoK - ASEAN Solidarity Initiative.

He also pledged continued dedications so that the two countries’ relations will grow unceasingly, strongly, and effectively in the next 30 years.
The two leaders agreed on major orientations for the enhancement of relations between the two countries.

Receiving the RoK parliamentary speaker, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh affirmed that Vietnam always regards the RoK as an important and long-term strategic partner.

Both host and guest noted with satisfaction that the two countries’ relations have been developing unceasingly in a multitude of fields over 30 years since bilateral diplomatic relations were set up.

The RoK is currently ranking first among foreign investors in Vietnam with total capital reaching US$80.5 billion; second in terms of development cooperation, tourism, and labour; and third in terms of trade with revenue hitting US$88 billion in 2022.

Roughly 8,000 Korean enterprises are operating in Vietnam. Meanwhile, some 200,000 citizens of each country are living in the other country, including about 80,000 multicultural families.

The Vietnamese Government leader congratulated the RoK on its national development achievements and thanked the country’s State, NA, and people for their precious, practical, and effective assistance for Vietnam in the recent past.

Congratulating Vietnam on fast and steady economic growth amid difficulties, Speaker Kim greatly appreciated the Vietnamese Government’s attention to the development of the Korean business community.

He called on the Government of Vietnam to support his country’s hosting of World Expo 2023 in Busan, continue facilitating Korean firms’ operations in Vietnam, help Korean banks open branches, facilitate RoK citizens' travel, work, and life in Vietnam, and back the expansion of the RoK’s educational establishments in the Southeast Asian nation. PM Chinh pledged to consider his guest’s proposals.

To achieve the goals of the Vietnam - RoK comprehensive strategic partnership, Chinh asked Kim and the RoK’s parliament to continue promoting substantive, efficient, and effective cooperation; increase all-level delegation exchanges and meetings between the countries’ Parties, Governments, and NAs; intensify cooperation in security and defence, especially the defence industry; and help Vietnam improve the capacity of its law enforcement forces at sea.

As economic ties remain an important pillar of bilateral cooperation, the Vietnamese cabinet leader asked the two sides to work together to effectively carry out the Vietnam - RoK Free Trade Agreement (VKFTA) and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) to raise bilateral trade to US$100 billion in 2023 and US$150 billion by 2030 in a balanced and sustainable manner.

Vietnam welcomes Korean enterprises' expansion of investment, especially in high technology, science - technology, innovation, green economy, digital economy, digital transformation, clean energy, smart city, and eco-city development, the PM noted, calling on them to create conditions for Vietnamese businesses to participate in supply chains to help Vietnam soon become a centre of regional and global value chains.

He expressed his hope for the RoK’s continuation of ODA cooperation mechanisms and assistance for Vietnamese people in the RoK. He also pledged support for Korean investors and citizens in Vietnam.

During the meeting, PM Chinh also affirmed that Vietnam always pays attention to and is ready to actively contribute to the denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula, and that it advocates efforts to maintain peace in the Northeast Asian region via dialogue and by peaceful means.

Speaker Kim, in turn, said his nation backs and shares the common vision on the safeguarding of security, safety, and freedom of navigation and overflight in the East Sea, the maintenance of peace, stability, and legal order; the peaceful settlement of sea disputes, and the ensuring of countries’ rights and legitimate interests in accordance with international law, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).