BANGKOK, June 26 — Thailand and Vietnam have agreed to upgrade their bilateral relations to a strategic partnership while expanding cooperation in various fields for the mutual benefit of the people of the two countries.
Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra welcomed Communist Party of Vietnam general secretary Nguyen Phu Trong who is officially visiting Thailand yesterday through tomorrow as a guest of the Thai government.
When Ms Yingluck and Mr Trong met, the Thai premier said she highly values his visit, the first of its kind since former General Secretary Do Muoi’s visit 20 years ago, as it is taking place as the two countries’ relationship is being lifted to a strategic partnership.
They mutually agreed to the establishment of a strategic partnership in five major fields, namely political relations, defence and security cooperation, economic cooperation, socio-cultural cooperation, and regional and international cooperation.
They assigned relevant departments in both nations to coordinate in building an action plan and a tangible roadmap that will lead to the eventual signing of the strategic partnership by the two countries’ prime ministers at a joint cabinet meeting scheduled to take place in October in Thailand.
The leaders agreed to regularly exchange all-level delegations in the future to intensify their friendship and mutual understanding.
The two sides expressed pleasure at the fine developments in the two countries’ relations, especially in political, business fields and trade since the establishment of diplomatic ties in 1976.
They agreed to strive for an annual 20 per cent increase in two-way trade to reach the goal of US$15 billion by 2020.
They advised Thailand, Vietnam and other member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to continue intensifying solidarity and cooperation to maintain the central role of the grouping in regional security structure and successfully build an ASEAN Community by 2015.
