Viet Nam seeks RoK’s assistance for COVID-19 vaccine production

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh welcomes RoK Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong at the Government Office in Ha Noi on June 23, 2021. Photo: VGP

Speaking at a reception for Korean Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong on Wednesday, Pham thanked for the Korean Government’s assistance to the COVID-19 fight in Viet Nam.

He appreciated the donations of the Korean businesses, including Samsung, LG, and SK to the national COVID-19 vaccine fund which was set up by the Government to mobilize social resources for the purchase and import of vaccines as well as for research, development and production of domestic vaccines.

Pham highly valued the RoK’s New Southern Policy, calling on the two countries to continue consolidating and enhancing political trust to solidify foundation for expansion of cooperation in other domains.

Both sides should double efforts to soon realize the trade goal of US$100 billion in a balanced, sustainable and effective manner, said PM Pham, adding that the Vietnamese Government pledges to create favorable conditions for Korean investors to increase investments in Viet Nam, especially in such fields like digital transformation, processing and manufacturing, renewable energy among others.

He also expects the Korean side to continue official development assistance, expand bilateral labor cooperation with Viet Nam, and help the country in its post-war bomb and mine clearance efforts.

Regarding regional and international issues, PM Pham and FM Chung who is on a three-day official visit to Viet Nam, agreed that both countries share the same views over the importance of enhancing cooperation at multilateral forums, ensuring peace, stability, security, safety and freedom of navigation and aviation as well as the rule of law in the East Sea.

The two sides underscored the need for full and effective implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea and formulation of an efficient and effective Code of Conduct in the East Sea in accordance with international law and the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.

Both sides also committed to making contributions to accelerate dialogues and cooperation for a nuclear-free Korean peninsula.

During his official visit to Viet Nam, Chung also held talks with Vietnamese Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son, witnessed the signing ceremony of a memorandum of understanding on COVID-19 response program between the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology (NIHE) and the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), paid courtesy call on State President Nguyen Xuan Phuc and attended the ASEM High-level Policy Dialogue themed “ASEM at 25: Strengthening Asia-Europe Partnership in a Transforming World”./.

By Quang Minh