Fresh impetus for Vietnam-RoK strategic partnership Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong’s ongoing visit to the Republic of Korea (RoK) will open up new opportunities for the Vietnam- KoK comprehensive strategic partnership to grow and flourish in the time to come. At their talks following the official welcome ceremony hosted by Korean President Park Geun Hye for Party leader Trong in Seoul on October 2, the two leaders agreed upon major measures to lift the comprehensive strategic partnership to a higher level.   Korean President Park Geun Hye welcoming Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong.  The Party chief reiterated Vietnam’s recognition of high importance to developing the strategic partnership with the RoK which is one of the long-term priorities in the Southeast Asia’s foreign policy in the two peoples’ interests and for the sake of peace, stability and development in the region and the world.   An official welcome ceremony is given to Party leader Trong in Seoul. The two leaders informed each other about the situation in their respective country and discussed regional and international issues of common concern and ways to  forge the friendship and cooperation in the future. They expressed their delight at the vigorous development of bilateral relations over the past 20 years since the establishment of diplomatic ties in 1992 and remarkable progress after their bilateral ties were upgraded to a strategic partnership five years ago. Practical cooperation in recent years have demonstrated that Vietnam and the RoK are important partners and good friends of each other. Both countries have shared common strategic interests and huge potential for expanding bilateral cooperation in line with the long-term fundamental interests of the two peoples. Host and guest proposed an increase in reciprocal visits between senior leaders to deepen mutual understanding and consolidate political trust thus providing a solid foundation for closer Vietnam-RoK ties. The two countries pledged to improve the efficiency of strategic dialogue mechanisms, and existing policy dialogues in the areas of diplomacy, defence and security, and promote cooperation in defense industry, training, capacity building of peacekeeping forces and law enforcement forces at sea, and anti-transnational crime and counter-terrorism.   The Korean President holds talks with Party leader Nguyen Phu Trong. Trong and his host consented to promote inter-governmental committee mechanisms aiming to work out long-term development strategies for successfully connecting the two economies in the transitional period and better serving the goal of sustainable development and prosperity in each nation. The two sides stressed the importance of pushing up economic and trade relations towards a US$70 billion trade target by 2020. They vowed to accelerate the finalization the Vietnam-RoK Free Trade Agreement (FTA) by the end of this year.   The two leaders host a press briefing after their talks. Vietnam called for more Korean investments in infrastructure development, high technology, support industries, manufacturing, and farm produce processing industry, Trong told the Korean President Park Geun Hye said her nation will create the best possible conditions for Vietnam’s farm produce exports and encourage Korean firms to invest in the fields of Vietnam’s needs. Vietnam will also facilitate Korean investments in energy, infrastructure, transport, finance and banking and increase agricultural cooperation. In the spirit of boosting stronger strategic partnership for common prosperity, the two leaders promised to direct competent agencies to go ahead with negotiations and soon sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on receiving Vietnamese workers in 2014. Both countries will bolster cooperation in science, technology, education and training, culture, sports, tourism, and people-to-people exchanges. They agreed to pay heed to protecting and ensuring the legitimate rights of citizens in each nation. President Hye stated that the Korean government will create all conditions they can to support Vietnamese women married to Korean men and multicultural families. The two leaders noted with satisfaction over the results of cooperation at international forums between the two countries in recent years and suggested intensifying peace keeping operations, closer coordination and effective information sharing with regard to regional and international issues through existing cooperation mechanisms, bilateral meetings and international multilateral forums. Trong and Hye greatly appreciated the outcome of ASEAN –RoK cooperation and Korea’s efforts to enhance substantial cooperation with the regional grouping. At the talks, the Korean President voiced her nation’s support for Vietnam in hosting the APEC Summit in 2017 and hailed the country’s contributions to the success of the special RoK-ASEAN Summit in late 2014. Regarding the regional situation, the two sides reaffirmed the Vietnam-RoK Joint Statement in 2013 in which Vietnam supported the RoK's initiatives aimed at promoting dialogues on peace and cooperation in Northeast Asia. The leaders stressed the need to maintain peace, stability, security and ensure maritime safety and freedom and settle disputes through peaceful means in adherence to international law, and full implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) towards building a Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC). Party leader Trong invited President Park Geun Hye to visit Vietnam at an appropriate time and Hye graciously accepted the offer. On the occasion, Trong and President Hye witnessed the signing of four cooperation documents between the two countries on dealing with post-war bomb and mine consequences in Vietnam, ensuring national quality of defence products and services,  loans for  the building of Vam Cong bridge roads, and financial cooperation between the Vietnam Ministry of Planning and Investment and RoK’s Eximbank with total investment of US$12 billion in priority areas- transport and energy. Later they hosted a press briefing on the outcome of their talks. VOV