Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs of Thailand Advocated Further Enhancement of the "Strengthened Strategic Partnership" between Thailand and Vietnam in the 8th Thailand - Viet Nam Political Consultation Group Meeting.

วันที่นำเข้าข้อมูล 1 Jul 2021

วันที่ปรับปรุงข้อมูล 29 Nov 2022

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The Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs of Thailand co-chaired the 8th Thailand – Vietnam Political Consultation Group Meeting via teleconference, where he advocated further enhancement of the "Strengthened Strategic Partnership" between Thailand and Vietnam , especially as the two countries are celebrating the 45th anniversary of diplomatic ties this year. The Permanent Secretary also promoted cooperation on recovery from COVID-19, trade to achieve the new target of bilateral trade at USD 25 billion by 2025 and digital economy.

On 30 June 2021, H.E. Mr. Thani Thongphakdi, Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs of Thailand, co-chaired the 8th Thailand – Vietnam Political Consultation Group (PCG) Meeting via videoconference with H.E Mr. Nguyen Quoc Dzung, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam. Both sides discussed ways to further advance bilateral cooperation and the "Strengthened Strategic Partnership" between Thailand and Vietnam , especially as the two countries are celebrating the 45th anniversary of diplomatic relations this year.

Both sides agreed to work closely to enhance linkages between Thai and Vietnamese economies and ensure that both economies would emerge stronger from the COVID-19 pandemic. Both sides agreed that it would be useful for the two countries to start discussing measures, such as mutual recognition of respective vaccine certificates and facilitation of travel between Thailand and Vietnam in the future. They also agreed that it would be beneficial for bilateral trade and investment for both sides to work towards establishment of consultation mechanisms in respective countries to facilitate investment promotion between the two countries. Both sides will work closely to increase the value of bilateral trade and reduce impediments to trade in order to achieve the new trade target of USD 25 billion by 2025. Both sides will also promote cooperation on digital economy.

The two countries will further promote technical cooperation through exchanges of experts and personnel in new areas such as health security, energy and environmental security, and sustainable development. Both countries will cooperate more closely in various areas, including maritime security, education, regional connectivity, water resources management particularly through strengthening of the Mekong River Commission (MRC), as well as non-traditional security issues such as cyber security and transnational organised crimes.

In addition, both sides concurred that Thailand and Vietnam should forge closer cooperation bilaterally and together with other countries in the Mekong Sub-region to promote sustainable economic and social development of the Sub-region. Both sides will work to synergise the respective countries’ efforts, and to fully utilise ACMECS and GMS as primary platforms for cooperation in the Sub-region. Both sides also exchanged views on regional issues of common interest. On the Myanmar issue, which is a mutual concern of Thailand and Vietnam, they emphasised in particular the importance of moving forward with the implementation of the Five-Point Consensus of the ASEAN Leaders as soon as possible. On the South China Sea, both sides shared common interest in ensuring peace and stability in this important area, and in good progress of the consultations under the ASEAN framework on this matter. Both sides reaffirmed the importance of ASEAN centrality. Vietnam also expressed support for Thailand’s upcoming APEC hosting in 2022.

The 8th Political Consultation Group (PCG) Meeting underlined the importance of the relations between Thailand and Vietnam, which are close neighbours and strategic partners in the region and beyond. It also laid a groundwork for a series of upcoming high-level bilateral exchanges, including the 4th Joint Commission for Bilateral Cooperation (JCBC) and the 4th Joint Cabinet Retreat (JCR) to be hosted by Vietnam by the end of this year or early next year.

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