Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin said yesterday that Thailand is ready to upgrade ties with Vietnam as a comprehensive strategic partnership when he visits Hanoi early next year.
He told Vietnamese National Assembly Chairman, Vuong Dinh Hue, during their bilateral talks that their relations are progressing very rapidly and effectively in all areas.
Thailand and Vietnam are planning to host their fourth joint cabinet meeting next year when both countries will declare their comprehensive strategic partnership.
Hue is on a four-day to Thailand as a guest of the Thai National Assembly. Early, he signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation between the two legislative bodies.
Photo : Government House
He is scheduled to visit Udon Thaini over the weekend to open the world’s first Vietnam Town and lay a foundation stone for the education and tourism center, which will feature the life and legacy of former Vietnamese President Ho Chi Minh.
Both Srettha and Hue reaffirmed their commitment to increase the volume of bilateral trade to US$ 25 billion in 2025.
Photo : Government House
Thailand is currently the biggest trading partner of Vietnam in Asean, which amounted to US$ 22 billion last year. Furthermore, it is also the second-largest investor in Vietnam valued $14 billion.
Earlier, Hue delivered a speech at Chulalongkorn University, hailing the steady growth of Thailand-Vietnam relations and their roles in promoting peace and stability.
He said that for peace to last and be sustainable, both countries and Asean members have a responsibility to contribute to promoting dialogue and cooperation, respecting the United Nations Charter and international law, including the peaceful settlement of disputes and refraining from the use or threat to use force.
“This is a vital issue nowadays and is our responsibility to future generations,” he reiterated.
Praising Thailand’s role and contributions to Asean’s formation and development, Hue said that in the new context, building a strong, united, and resilient Asean with a central role in the regional structure and good relations with external partners is a priority direction for the Vietnam-Thailand strategic partnership,” he added.
To further deepen the contents of the bilateral strategic partnership, he suggested strengthening political trust and national defense-security cooperation, fostering greater solidarity and innovation under the guiding principles of “reliability, responsibility, sincerity, cooperation for mutual benefit and shared progress.”
By Thai PBS World
