Vietnam - North Korea relations enter a new phase

After concluding the talks, General Secretary To Lam presented General Secretary and Chairman of the State Council of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea Kim Jong Un with the photo book "Warm Vietnam - North Korea Friendship" - Photo: VNA

On October 9, the welcoming ceremony for General Secretary To Lam's state visit to North Korea took place solemnly under the chairmanship of General Secretary and Chairman of the State Affairs Commission of North Korea Kim Jong Un. A 21-gun salute was fired, demonstrating North Korea's respect for the visit and the relationship between the two countries.

This is a strong driving force to promote Vietnam - North Korea relations into a new, more practical and effective stage of development.

Promoting bilateral relations

At the talks after the welcoming ceremony, the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the two leaders agreed to jointly promote Vietnam-DPRK relations to a new stage of more practical and effective development. The two countries will increase the exchange of delegations at high and all levels through various channels, as well as effectively maintain dialogue and cooperation mechanisms. In addition, they will study the possibility of cooperation in appropriate fields and promote people-to-people exchanges.

General Secretary To Lam suggested that both sides promote effective cooperation through Party channels and boost bilateral and multilateral parliamentary cooperation. He also proposed strengthening mutually beneficial economic cooperation in line with the development goals of both sides and international regulations.

General Secretary To Lam affirmed that Vietnam is ready to share with North Korea experiences in economic innovation, foreign economic relations, and information on economic management policies, import-export, and socio-economic development.

The Party leader also hopes that the two sides will expand cooperation in areas of strength and potential such as culture, sports, tourism, education, healthcare, information and communication; and build radio and television programs to introduce the culture, country and people of each country.

Appreciating and approving the cooperation proposals of General Secretary To Lam, General Secretary and State President Kim Jong Un affirmed that the DPRK wishes to cooperate closely with Vietnam in Party building and national development, and is ready to promote cooperation in many suitable fields.

He suggested that the Party agencies, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, departments, branches and localities of both sides increase the exchange of specific measures to effectively implement the major orientations on developing relations that the two countries achieved during this visit. Thereby, bringing the Vietnam-DPRK relationship into a new stage of development, bringing practical benefits to the people of both countries.

Affirming foreign policy

"General Secretary To Lam's visit to North Korea is an affirmation of Vietnam's multilateral and diversified diplomatic policy, as Vietnam is ready to be friends with all countries and hopes to be a bridge between the parties," Dr. Vu Xuan Khang, a researcher on security issues in the Asia-Pacific region at Boston College (USA), told Tuoi Tre.

According to Mr. Khang, this visit also brings great potential to Vietnam in the context that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and US President Donald Trump both left open the possibility of meeting.

"Vietnam, as a trusted partner of both countries and the host of the US-North Korea summit in 2019, will once again wish to demonstrate its role as a bridge and contribute to building peace on the Korean peninsula," said Mr. Khang.

Sharing the same view, Professor Carl Thayer (Australia), a person with many years of research on Vietnam, commented that General Secretary To Lam's visit to North Korea is in line with Resolution 59 of the Politburo on international integration in the new situation, showing that Vietnam is embarking on a new, more proactive role in international issues.

Citing General Secretary To Lam's recent foreign visits, Mr. Thayer also commented that this has affirmed the increasingly important role of the Party leader in both domestic and foreign affairs.

According to Professor Carl Thayer, Resolution 59 of the Politburo pointed out that international integration requires "proactiveness, positivity and courage" to promote established partnership networks, mobilize external resources, strengthen political trust and address regional and global challenges through peaceful cooperation, on the basis of respect for international law.

Resolution 59 and Vietnam's new role

This resolution also reinforces one of the key goals of international integration, which is to “maintain a peaceful and stable environment” so that Vietnam can develop its economy. Therefore, General Secretary To Lam’s visit also aims to find out whether Vietnam can play a diplomatic and political role in any peace process on the Korean peninsula, thereby receiving increasing appreciation from the international community and major countries.

Tuoitre.vn

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/quan-he-viet-nam-trieu-tien-buoc-vao-giai-doan-moi-20251010075608246.htm#content