Politics

Prime Minister hosts welcome ceremony for Thai counterpart

This is the first visit to Vietnam by PM Paetongtarn since she took office, and also the first by a Thai Government leader in 11 years. Additionally, it marks the first joint cabinet meeting between the two countries’ prime ministers in 10 years.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh (left) and Thailand's Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra inspect the guard of honour in Hanoi on May 16. (Photo: VNA)
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh (left) and Thailand's Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra inspect the guard of honour in Hanoi on May 16. (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi (VNA) - Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh hosted a welcome ceremony for Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra and a high-ranking delegation of Thailand in Hanoi on May 16 morning.

PM Paetongtarn is paying an official visit to Vietnam, where she will also co-chair the 4th Vietnam-Thailand joint cabinet meeting.

PM Chinh and his Thai counterpart visited an exhibition featuring the land and people of the two countries and their relations, jointly organised by the Government Office and the Vietnam News Agency, before co-chairing the fourth Vietnam – Thailand Joint Cabinet Retreat.

This is the first visit to Vietnam by PM Paetongtarn since she took office, and also the first by a Thai Government leader in 11 years. Additionally, it marks the first joint cabinet meeting between the two countries’ prime ministers in 10 years.

Since the establishment of diplomatic relations on August 6, 1976, the cooperation between the two countries has grown rapidly in both scope and depth. They have maintained a strong relationship and a high level of political trust between their leaders and people. This serves as a solid and important foundation for further deepening and strengthening the bilateral ties at all levels and across all channels.

The two countries elevated their relationship to a Strategic Partnership in June 2013, becoming the first pair of ASEAN member states to establish such a partnership.

Subsequently, in 2015, the relationship was further upgraded to an “Enhanced Strategic Partnership” to promote stronger and more comprehensive cooperation. Since then, the Enhanced Strategic Partnership has made remarkable progress, achieving important, substantive, and effective outcomes.

One of the most outstanding pillars of bilateral cooperation in recent years has been economic, trade, and investment collaboration. Thailand is Vietnam’s largest trading partner in ASEAN and ranks 9th in the world. Bilateral trade reached 20.2 billion USD last year, and 3.1 billion USD in the first two months of 2025, marking a 6.2% increase compared to the same period in 2024. Both sides aim to raise their two-way trade turnover to 25 billion USD in the coming time, in a balanced and sustainable manner.

Vietnamese Ambassador to Thailand Pham Viet Hung said that the two PMs will co-chair the 4th Vietnam - Thailand joint cabinet meeting, a joint effort reflecting the high level of attention and shared determination to advance the bilateral ties. Both sides will address existing issues and chart directions for all-around cooperation./.

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