Vietnam treasures strategic co-operative partnership with RoK

The two leaders highlighted the importance of the meeting ahead of the two countries' 30th anniversary of diplomatic ties.

President Yoon congratulated Vietnam on its successful organisation of the 13th Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV), the tremendous achievements recorded in terms of national development, as well as its ever increasing role and international stature.

He expressed confidence that under the leadership of the CPV and General Secretary Trong, the nation will achieve its goals of becoming a developed country by 2045.

The RoK President went on to show his delight at the remarkable development in mutual relations, saying that his nation is keen to remain a reliable partner in the new Vietnamese development phase, thereby responding positively to co-operation directions set out by General Secretary Trong during the talks.

The RoK views the Vietnamese side as one of its most important partners in its policy towards the region, the Korean President went on to emphasise.

In response, the Vietnamese Party chief congratulated President Yoon on being elected as the 20th Korean President, while applauding the various achievements recorded recently. Indeed, much of the praise related to its role and positive contributions made to the co-operation frameworks in the region and international forums for the sake of peace, co-operation, friendship, and development.

The two sides are East Asian countries that boast many historical and cultural connections, as well as people-to-people relations, with bilateral co-operation in recent years enjoying steady growth, General Secretary Trong continued.

He hailed the RoK’s support for the Vietnamese development process, including co-operation in COVID-19 prevention and control. These represent important foundations for a new and stronger development phase that is in the best interests of the two peoples, thereby contributing to peace, stability, co-operation, and development in the region and the wider world.

The pair agreed to consolidate political trust and strive to enhance high-level meetings and relations via the Party, Government, National Assembly, and people-to people channels between the two nations.

They will therefore promote the important pillar role of economic, trade, and investment co-operation, whilst strengthening ties in defence, security, culture, and labour, while actively boosting closer co-ordination in regional and international multilateral forums and mechanisms.

The two leaders also compared notes on regional and international issues of shared concern. General Secretary Trong affirmed that the country will persist with its foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, peace, friendship, co-operation, and development. It will continue with multilateralisation and diversification of foreign relations, whilst being a reliable partner and an active and responsible member in the international community.

Vietnam is always interested and ready to make active contributions to the peace process and denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula, therefore backing joint efforts to maintain peace in Northeast Asia.

Regarding the East Sea issue, the two sides underlined the necessity of maintaining peace, stability, co-operation, development, and respecting the freedoms of navigation and aviation. This is in line with the legitimate rights and interests of each nation in accordance with international law, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

They agreed that the talks had yielded substantive results to open a new development stage in bilateral relations.

On the occasion, General Secretary Trong cordially invited President Yoon to visit Vietnam. In response, the RoK President accepted the offer with pleasure and invited the Vietnamese Party leader to visit the RoK at an appropriate time in the future.