HCMC – Vietnam and Thailand have elevated their relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh announced during a joint press conference with his Thai counterpart Paetongtarn Shinawatra.
The press conference was organized in Hanoi on May 16 after the two prime ministers held a closed-door meeting and co-chaired the 4th Vietnam–Thailand Joint Cabinet Meeting.
“The most important outcome is that both sides have agreed to elevate our relationship from a strategic partnership to a comprehensive strategic partnership,” PM Chinh said.
Thailand is the world’s 13th country with which Vietnam has set up a comprehensive strategic partnership and the fourth in Southeast Asia after Indonesia, Singapore and Malaysia.
The Vietnamese government leader said the two countries had agreed to quickly formulate an action plan for implementing the comprehensive strategic partnership for the 2025-2030 period, built around several key pillars.
First, a partnership for sustainable peace. The two nations will deepen cooperation in politics, defense, and security to maintain a peaceful, secure, and stable environment for both countries.
Second, a partnership for sustainable development. Both sides will enhance economic integration through a three-pronged approach: connecting supply chains, businesses and localities, and aligning strategies for sustainable growth, including green growth, digital economy, green economy, and circular economy.
Building on this foundation, the two sides agreed to implement five key areas of cooperation enhancement.
The first is to facilitate bilateral exports and work toward lifting two-way trade to US$25 billion. Both sides will also support business expansion, especially in clean energy, high technology, digital and green economy, innovation, and high-tech agriculture.
The second is to strengthen transport and logistics infrastructure connectivity and develop the East-West Economic Corridor to facilitate the movement of goods and people between the two countries.
The third is to enhance cooperation in applying science and technology, innovation, digital transformation, and green transition across economic sectors.
The fourth is to enhance cooperation on labor and social welfare by implementing existing agreements and creating favorable conditions for Vietnamese and Thai workers to work in each other’s countries.
The last is to increase investment in education and youth to foster long-term people-to-people ties. This includes expanding Vietnamese language centers in Thailand and Thai language centers in Vietnam.
Both sides will strengthen sister-city relationships, support the establishment of more universities in each country, launch direct flights between localities, and promote the “Six Countries, One Destination” tourism initiative.
PM Chinh and his Thai counterpart also witnessed the signing and exchange of cooperation agreements in security, economy, trade, investment, and education.
Paetongtarn Shinawatra is on an official visit to Vietnam from May 15 to 16.
