Hanoi, Seoul look ahead to closer bilateral cooperation
Hanoi and Seoul leaders expressed their willingness to boost bilateral cooperation during a visit of a Hanoi delegation to the capital city of the Republic of Korea from August 17-21.
The signing of a tourism cooperation agreement between Hanoi and Seoul . (Source: VNA)
Seoul (VNA) – Hanoi and Seoul leaders expressed their willingness to boost bilateral cooperation during a visit of a Hanoi delegation to the capital city of the Republic of Korea from August 17-21.
During meetings on August 18 between the Hanoi delegation, led by Standing Vice Chairman of the municipal People’s Council Nguyen Ngoc Tuan, and Seoul city officials, the two cities agreed on priority fields in their cooperation in the next period, which are e-government, information technology and telecommunications, promotion of investment-trade-service, urban and environmental management, culture, art and education.
Both sides shared the desire to sign a cooperation agreement for the new period during a visit to Hanoi by Seoul city’s council and government delegation at the end of this year.
On the night of August 18, the opening ceremony of “Hanoi Days in Seoul 2016” took place at the Cheonggye Square with dancing and traditional music instrument performances, leaving profound impressions on local people.
The three-day event is one of activities to mark the 25th anniversary of the diplomatic relationship between Vietnam and the RoK and the 20th anniversary of the Hanoi-Seoul relationship.
A range of activities were held on the occasion, including art performances and a photo exhibition, in order to introduce to local people Hanoi’s thousand-year history, historical and cultural relic sites and rich intangible culture, along with its image as a city of peace and dynamic development, and an appealing destination for tourists and investors.
During the Hanoi Days, the Hanoi People’s Committee coordinated with the Seoul city government and Vietnam’s embassy in the RoK to organise a conference entitled “Hanoi-Seoul: Promoting cooperation, investment and trade-service development.”
Solutions to attract investment and boost trade and tourism ties between the two cities, especially in the context of the Vietnam-RoK free trade agreement taking effect in December, 2015, were high on the agenda of the conference.
Speaking at the conference, Ngo Van Quy, Vice Chairman of the Hanoi People’s Committee, said the RoK is the leading country in terms of investment, trade and tourism in Hanoi and has made significant contributions to Hanoi’s construction and development cause.
The Hanoi government is committed to creating t🅺he best possible ꩵconditions for RoK enterprises and investors to seek investment and business opportunities in Hanoi, added Quy.-VNA
The third cultural-sport festival of overseas Vietnamese community in the Republic of Korea (RoK) central city of Daejeon took place on June 25 and 26, attracting thousands of visitors.
Leaders of Hanoi and Seoul expressed their wish for stronger bilateral cooperation in several aspects as they met on the sidelines of the World Cities Summit, which kicked off in Singapore on July 10.
President of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Nguyen Thien Nhan has asked the Republic of Korea to help Vietnam in training personnel in information technology.
Minister of Finance Nguyen Van Thang cleared up deputies' concern regarding how to spur socio-economic growth, renew traditional growth motives and establish new momentum for development.
Vietnam proposed several priorities: narrowing the digital divide, strengthening women’s leadership in the digital economy and AI governance, and mobilising sustainable financing for gender equality initiatives in line with each country’s national priorities and context. Vietnam also advocated for genuine women’s participation and leadership across all areas of public life.
Ha expressed his hope that cooperation in science and technology, agriculture, and natural resources would emerge as new focal points and engines of growth in Vietnam–China relations.
Giang said he believes that building on the solid foundation nurtured over the past half-century and the strong determination of both nations, the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership will continue to grow in a more robust, comprehensive, and extensive manner, thus bringing more practical benefits to the two nations' people.
Highlighting the transformative potential of the draft law in revitalising Vietnam’s railway industry, Hoang Van Cuong, a deputy of Hanoi, expressed his support for Article 39, which empowers the Prime Minister to issue a list of railway-related goods and services to be assigned or ordered from domestic enterprises for production.
According to the Ministry of Public Security, Hoan, formerly Deputy Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, is under investigation for allegedly taking bribes in connection with a case involving the Hoang Long Construction and Manpower Supply JSC and related units.
Chairing a national conference on the organisation of the examination on June 18, the PM highlighted the historical significance of the examination, as the restructuring of provincial-level administrative units is underway and the two-tier local administration model is set to officially begin operations on July 1.
Right on the same day, the ministry issued its highest-level travel warning, urging Vietnamese citizens not to travel to Israel or Iran, and advised those already in these countries to swiftly consider evacuation or relocation plans.
From the struggles against colonialists and imperialists to the period of Doi moi (renewal) and international integration, the Vietnamese revolutionary press has always played a pioneering role on the ideological and cultural front, he said.
The Party leader's working session with the standing boards of the Party Committees of HCM City, Ba Ria – Vung Tau and Binh Duong, the VNA General Director's remarks on the occasion of the 19th OANA General Assembly, the launch of new NIC - Google initiatives aimed at bolstering AI entrepreneurship and digital literacy in Vietnam are among news highlights June 18.
Vietnam and Indonesia reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening cooperation in combating terrorism as it remains a threat to peace, security, and stability across their respective nations, the broader region, and the international community.
The Vietnamese representative also emphasised the shared responsibility of relevant parties to build trust, enhance cooperation, and jointly manage the risks of conflict, thus safeguarding long-term peace and stability in the East Sea.
The National Assembly on June 18 passed the law amending and supplementing a number of articles of the Law on Product and Goods Quality, with 408 out of 420 participating deputies voting in favour, accounting for 85.36% of the total.
The Party leader asked the new HCM City to embrace a multi-centre and integrated urban ecosystem where each development pole functions as a link complementary to and intelligently connected with each other in a harmonious whole.
The resolutions issued by the PM as well as ministries and ministry-level agencies reassign responsibility for 346 administrative procedures - 18 from district to provincial levels, 278 to commune level, and 50 eliminated.
Legislators are due to pass several amended laws, including the Law amending and supplementing several articles of the Law on Economical and Efficient Use of Energy, and the Law amending and supplementing several articles of the Law on Product and Goods Quality.
Vietnamese localities' readiness to implement the two-tier local administration model, the evacuation of 18 Vietnamese citizens from Iran, Petrovietnam's 11th ranking in the 2025 Fortune Southeast Asia 500 are among news highlights on June 17 evening.
The General Secretary underlined the resolve to achieve a growth rate of at least 8% in 2025, laying the groundwork for double-digit growth in the following period. He noted that these are mandatory targets, with no alternative path to success.
The signing of a tourism cooperation agreement between Hanoi and Seoul . (Source: VNA) 
