Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc (second from right) attends the first Mekong-Republic of Korea (RoK) Summit in Busan on Wednesday. — VNA/VNS Photo Thống Nhất

BUSAN — Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc attended the first Mekong-Republic of Korea (RoK) Summit in Busan on Wednesday.

Attending the event were RoK President Moon Jae-in and Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn, Lao Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith, Myanmar State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi, Thailand Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and Vietnamese PM Phúc.

It was the first time since the establishment of the Mekong – RoK partnership eight years ago the officials from the six countries have sat down to discuss the future of their partnership under the theme “Future Mekong-RoK co-operation for mutual prosperity”.

The meeting reviewed co-operation including achievements in narrowing the development gap, strengthening regional connectivity, and building the ASEAN Community.

Speaking at the event, PM Phúc laid emphasis on the three main goals of the Mekong-RoK cooperation, which are strengthening regional peace, people-centred and innovation-driven economic development, and economic growth in tandem with environmental protection and conservation of natural resources.

He highlighted the need to develop transport and information technology infrastructure, a quality workforce via improving education and training, enhancing science-technology collaboration, and stepping up green growth and water resources management.

Officials at the meeting spoke highly of the RoK’s support for the Mekong region and welcomed the RoK’s commitment to increase official development assistance to ASEAN and annual financial contributions to the Mekong-RoK Co-operation Fund.

For future co-operation, they agreed to establish a Mekong-RoK people-centred partnership for prosperity and peace. The co-operation will be based on people, prosperity and peace, with priority fields of culture and tourism, human resources development, agriculture and rural development, infrastructure, information technology and communications, the environment, and non-traditional challenges.

The leaders agreed to set up the Mekong-RoK Biodiversity Centre and the Mekong-RoK Joint Research Centre on Mekong River Water Resources Management to promote natural resources preservation and sustainable development in the Mekong River basin.

The year 2021 was also designated as the Mekong-RoK Exchange Year to celebrate 10 years of co-operation.

On the occasion, the Mekong-RoK Business Council was also established to promote connectivity among the six countries’ enterprises.

The Korea Water Resources Corporation, the Mekong River Commission and relevant agencies from Mekong countries also signed a memorandum of understanding on conducting joint research on water resources.  

At the end of the event, leaders adopted the Mekong-Han River Declaration on Establishing a Partnership for People, Prosperity and Peace, and agreed to hold the second Mekong-RoK Summit in Việt Nam next year. — VNS