AUCKLAND, New Zealand, March 22 — Thailand and New Zealand have agreed to expand trade ties between the two countries, seek more cooperation and explore new business opportunities for Thai and New Zealand investors.
Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra on Friday held bilateral talks with New Zealand Prime Minister John Key. The two leaders agreed to boost trade relations with an aim to achieve increased trade value to Bt2.5 billion in five years.
The discussion also covered expanded cooperation in the areas of sciences, agricultural and food management, trade negotiations under the framework of the Thailand and New Zealand Closer Economic Partnership (TNZCEP) Agreement, education, labour promotion, tourism and the film industry, as well as cooperation on the regional level.
Ms Yingluck invited Mr Key to attend the 2nd Asia-Pacific Water Summit to be held May 19-20 in the northern province of Chiang Mai.
Both premiers later witnessed the signing ceremony of an Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on mutual cooperation on education, and the letter of intent on the cooperation framework in science, technology, and innovation.
Ms Yingluck is visiting New Zealand from Thursday through Sunday at the invitation of Mr Key to strengthen bilateral relations on the occasion of the 57th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Thailand and New Zealand and to boost confidence on Thailand’s political security and economic dynamism, as well as to expand cooperation in such significant fields to Thai economy and competitiveness as education, science and technology, innovation, labor, and agriculture.
