The Thai PM’s official visit to Vietnam right after taking office is seen as a vivid manifestation of the strategic partnership and a practical contribution to propel the Vietnam-Thailand traditional friendship and multifaceted cooperation forward.
The two PMs noted with satisfaction the bilateral ties have been growing constantly in various realms, particularly after it was upgraded to a strategic partnership during Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong’s Thailand visit in June 2013. They agreed to continue close coordination, intensify high-level delegation exchange and effectively implement bilateral cooperative mechanisms like joint cabinet meetings and the Vietnam-Thailand bilateral cooperation committee.
Both government leaders stressed the need to direct ministries, sectors and localities to fully realize signed agreements and increase cooperation with a focus on investment and trade activities towards achieving a US$15 billion bilateral trade target by 2020.
The two sides also reached a consensus on combined efforts to resolve disputes by peaceful measures in line with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) and speed up the finalization of a Code of Conduct in the East Sea(COC).
After the talks, the two PMs witnessed the signing of three cooperation documents, including the 2014-2018 action programme on the Vietnam-Thailand strategic partnership, the 2014-2016 cultural cooperation programme and a cooperation agreement between the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho and Thailand’s Chachongsao province.
