Vietnam eyes stronger ties with RoK
Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has said Vietnam is ready to work with the Republic of Korea (RoK) to further accelerate bilateral cooperation in economics, trade, investment and labour.
He made the remarks during the January 20 meeting with RoK Prime Minister Chung Hong-won, as part of his official visit to the RoK from January 19-23.
Phuc affirmed the Party and State of Vietnam attach much important to the relationship with the RoK, considering it as a priority in the country’s external policy.
He proposed that the RoK Government create further favourable conditions for Vietnamese goods to penetrate the RoK market.
Vietnam always keeps the door open to RoK enterprises to develop their businesses and transfer technology, helping the country boost its support industry, he said.
During the meeting, the two sides expressed their delight at the growing ties between Vietnam and the RoK over the past two decades, especially since they set up their strategic partnership in 2009.
They discussed measures to realise the agreements that leaders of both countries reached during the Vietnamese visit of President Park Geun-hye last September. The two sides agreed that it is necessary to strengthen political trust and beef up comprehensive cooperation in the time to come.
PM Chung confirmed that his country accepts Vietnam as a key partner in its development cooperation.
The RoK Government will actively implement agreements between the two countries and speed up joint projects in economics, science and technology and development cooperation.
He suggested that the two sides exert a greater effort so that the Vietnam-RoK free trade agreement can be signed this year, raising two-way trade to US$70 billion by 2020.
The RoK PM pledged that his country will continue stepping up measures to gradually reduce Vietnam’s trade deficit with the RoK, heading to a balance in trade between the two countries.
The two sides also agreed to strengthen their coordination at regional and international forums, contributing to maintaining peace, stability and maritime and airspace freedom and safety in accordance to international law.
Regarding the tense situation in the Korean Peninsula, Deputy PM Phuc affirmed that Vietnam supports peace, stability and non-nuclearisation there.
The same day, he also met RoK Ministers of Public Administration and Security, Defence, and Justice, as well as leader of some RoK enterprises.
He also visited the staff of the Vietnamese Embassy in Seoul.