The ASEAN-Republic of Korea Commemorative Summit to mark the 20-year dialogue partnership was solemnly opened this afternoon under the theme “Partnership for real, friendship for good” in the resort island of Jeju, Republic of Korea.
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PM Nguyen Tan Dung attends the opening ceremony of the ASEAN-RoK Summit, Jeju Island, Republic of Korea, June 01
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ASEAN leaders and the host President reviewed the cooperation between the two sides, discussed orientations and measures to deepen the relationship in a more practical and effective manner.
Highly speaking of the Summit’s significance and the vigorously developing ASEAN-Korea dialogue partnership, the leaders pledged to continue realizing their agreements, especially the Action Program to put into reality the joint declaration on comprehensive partnership and agreements on free trade areas.
They agreed to give priority to speeding up cooperation in economics, trade, investment, infrastructure development, cultural exchange as well as join efforts in coping with global challenges like financial crisis, environment deterioration, climate change, and pandemic outbreaks.
Addressing the Summit, Korean President Lee Myung-bac stated that Korea wants to cement and deepen its coopreation with ASEAN. He pledged to support the construction of the ASEAN Community and help the Association to narrow its internal gaps.
The RoK raised «New Asia Initiative» and«New Initiative for ASEAN’s Integration and Sustainable Development». The Korean Government will donate an ODA of US $400 million to ASEAN, train 7,000 post-graduates from ASEAN and contribute US $5 million to the ASEAN-Korea Cooperation Fund to finance cultural exchanges and the Initiative for ASEAN Integration (IAI).
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The ASEAN-RoK Commemorative Summit opens on June 01 in Jeju Island
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The Vietnamese PM asked the RoK to adopt specific measures in order to assist ASEAN’s implementation of the Master Plan on the ASEAN Community.
PM Dung encounters some ASEAN leaders
On the sideline of the ASEAN-RoK Commemorative Summit, PM Dung had separate meetings with leaders of Brunei, Myanmar and the Philippines.
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PM Nguyen Tan Dung and Brunei Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah
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PM Dung and Brunei Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah expressed their pleasure at the good development of the friendship and cooperation between the two countries in recent years. Brunei has become the tenth biggest investor in Viet Nam with 67 projects valuing over US $4.5 billion. The two leaders agreed to promote the bilateral cooperation and urge their competent agencies to negotiate for the signing of a memorandum of understanding on labor.
Meeting Philippines President Gloria Arroyo, PM Dung thanked Philippines for properly handling the issues relating to Vietnamese fishermen. Meanwhile, the Philippines leader showed her gratitude to the Vietnamese Government for facilitating the sale of rice to Philippines.
PM Dung and President Gloria Arroyo agreed to early sign an MOU on cooperation between the two defense ministries in order to carry out joint patrols in the sea.
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PM Nguyen Tan Dung and Myanmar’s PM Thein Sein
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He hoped that Myanmar will give favorable conditions for Vietnamese investors to do business there in such fields as telecommunication, mining, automobile industry, and agriculture.
PM Thein Sein emphasized that Myanmar wants to strengthen its cooperation with Viet Nam and welcomes Vietnamese enterprises to conduct market surveys and seek for business chances in Myanmar.
In his encounter with Myanmar’s PM Thein Sein, PM Dung confirmed that the Vietnamese Government consistently advocates Myanmar’s roadmap for democracy and national reconciliation.At the Summit, PM Nguyen Tan Dung stressed that Viet Nam and ASEAN always attach importance to intensifying their ties with the RoK at bilateral and multilateral levels. He urged ASEAN and the RoK to bring the current comprehensive partnership to a new height and deepen bilateral cooperation in various fields and at all echelons to benefit both sides.