General Secretary's visit to North Korea: New impetus for friendly relations

During his more than 40 hours in Pyongyang, General Secretary To Lam had many important activities, demonstrating Vietnam's consistent stance of valuing relations with traditional friendly countries.

On October 11, General Secretary To Lam and the high-ranking delegation arrived in Hanoi, successfully concluding their state visit to North Korea. General Secretary To Lam's visit to North Korea is considered an important milestone in the relationship between the two countries, right on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

Permanent Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Minh Vu shared with VietnamPlus Electronic Newspaper some outstanding results of the visit.

Agree on many bilateral cooperation contents

- Could you please give some general comments on the State visit to North Korea and the General Secretary's attendance at the 80th Anniversary of the Founding of the Workers' Party of Korea from October 9-11?

Permanent Deputy Minister Nguyen Minh Vu: The State visit of General Secretary To Lam and the high-ranking Vietnamese delegation to North Korea and the celebration of the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Workers' Party of Korea was a great success.

Permanent Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Minh Vu. (Photo: BNG)

This is an important foreign political event for both Parties and countries, especially in the context that both sides are actively implementing the Resolution of the Party Congress of each country, towards preparing for the 14th Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam and the 9th Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea. This year is also the year that Vietnam and North Korea celebrate the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations as well as the Vietnam-North Korea Friendship Year 2025.

The Vietnamese delegation received a very respectful, sincere and thoughtful welcome with many exceptions, demonstrating the special respect of the Party, State and people of the DPRK for the high-ranking delegation of the Communist Party of Vietnam and General Secretary To Lam personally.

General Secretary and Chairman of the State Affairs Commission of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea Kim Jong Un and the high-ranking delegation of the DPRK at the talks with General Secretary To Lam. (Photo: Thong Nhat/VNA)

- Could you please tell us the outstanding results of the visit?

Permanent Deputy Minister Nguyen Minh Vu: This visit has three main results.

First of all, the visit contributed to creating new momentum and warming the traditional friendship between Vietnam and North Korea. The two leaders spent a lot of time reviewing the long-standing history of relations between Vietnam and North Korea, which were personally founded by President Ho Chi Minh and President Kim Il Sung, and expressed their respect and gratitude for the mutual support and assistance in previous periods.

Second, through frank, sincere and substantive exchanges between the two leaders and the signing of a number of cooperation agreements, the visit contributed to bringing the traditional friendship between Vietnam and North Korea to a new stage. Accordingly, the two leaders agreed on major cooperation directions to promote cooperation between the two countries to develop in accordance with each other's strengths and desires, thereby bringing the relationship to sustainable and long-term development. The two sides agreed to promote cooperation in specific areas of cooperation, especially in economics, tourism, culture, education, information and communication, health, etc. in accordance with each other's conditions as well as relevant international regulations.

After concluding the talks, General Secretary To Lam presented General Secretary and Chairman of the State Affairs Commission of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea Kim Jong Un with the photo book "Warm Vietnam-DPRK Friendship." (Photo: Thong Nhat/VNA)

Third, the two leaders spent a lot of time sharing their views and positions on regional and international issues of mutual concern. During the talks, General Secretary To Lam shared Vietnam's consistent views and positions on contributing to peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world, including issues on the Korean Peninsula and the East Sea.

With these results, this visit is a step forward, concretizing the consistent foreign policy of the Party and State, which is independence, self-reliance, peace, cooperation, development, valuing relations with traditional friendly countries, demonstrating the spirit of Vietnam as a responsible member, a country on the path of innovation and successful innovation in the international community.

Writing a new chapter in bilateral relations

- Could you please tell us about the directions for implementing the results achieved during General Secretary To Lam's recent working trip to North Korea?

Permanent Deputy Minister Nguyen Minh Vu: It can be affirmed that the results achieved during the visit have opened a new chapter in the long-standing friendship between Vietnam and North Korea, setting an important milestone for development cooperation in a new era for both peoples.

General Secretary To Lam and Mr. Jo Yong Won, member of the Politburo Standing Committee, Secretary of the Party Central Committee, Head of the Central Organizing Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, at the President Ho Chi Minh Monument. (Photo: Thong Nhat/VNA)

Based on the awareness and commitment of the two countries' senior leaders and the agreements signed during the visit, in the coming time, Vietnam and North Korea will promote the implementation and concretization of the results achieved in key aspects.

First of all, it is necessary to continue to firmly consolidate political trust through increasing exchanges and contacts between high-ranking leaders of the two countries and maintaining delegation exchanges at all levels through Party, State, Government, National Assembly, local and people-to-people channels; maintaining and effectively implementing existing cooperation mechanisms.

Next, the two sides will cooperate closely to concretize the high-level common awareness and agreements signed during the visit; promote appropriate cooperation in the fields of culture, tourism, sports, education, health, agriculture, information and communication, etc. Immediately after the talks, the two leaders also directed the ministries, branches and agencies of both sides to implement the agreed cooperation contents.

The people of North Korea attend the solemn welcoming ceremony for General Secretary To Lam and the high-ranking Vietnamese delegation on a state visit to North Korea. (Photo: Thong Nhat/VNA)

The two sides also continue to maintain coordination and cooperation in regional and international mechanisms and forums that both sides participate in and are interested in, especially within the framework of the United Nations, the Non-Aligned Movement, and the ARF, together promoting the trend of peace, cooperation and development in the region and the world.

With the positive results achieved during the visit, I firmly believe that the foundation of friendship between the two countries will be further consolidated, the will and desire for comprehensive cooperation between the two countries will be continued, and the Vietnam-DPRK relationship will continue to develop steadily and firmly in the future, for the benefit of the people of each country, for peace, stability, cooperation and development in the regions and the world.

- Thank you very much, Deputy Minister./.

(Vietnam+)

Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/chuyen-tham-trieu-tien-cua-tong-bi-thu-xung-luc-moi-cho-quan-he-huu-nghi-post1069717.vnp