Hanoi (VNA) – Prime Minister Le Minh Hung and his Thai counterpart Anutin Charnvirakul on June 8 affirmed their determination to effectively implement the agreements reached, further deepening the Vietnam–Thailand Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in a substantive and effective manner.
During their talks in Hanoi, PM Hung expressed his pleasure at meeting the Thai PM again following the 48th ASEAN Summit in Cebu, Philippines.
Recalling the recent official visit to Thailand by Party General Secretary and State President To Lam, PM Hung said the trip had yielded many important and substantive outcomes, creating fresh momentum for bilateral ties.
Expressing his pleasure at making his first official visit to Vietnam, particularly as the two countries celebrate the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations, PM Anutin affirmed that Thailand attaches great importance to and wishes to further promote comprehensive and substantive cooperation with Vietnam across all fields.
The Thai leader expressed his hope that both sides would effectively implement the outcomes of General Secretary and President Lam’s visit to Thailand, including the action programme for implementing the Vietnam–Thailand Comprehensive Strategic Partnership for 2026–2031.
The PMs expressed satisfaction with the strong development of Vietnam–Thailand relations over the past five decades since the establishment of diplomatic ties in 1976. They noted that bilateral relations are currently at their best-ever stage, underpinned by strong political trust, dynamic economic cooperation and increasingly close people-to-people exchanges.
They agreed to further strengthen political trust through regular exchanges of delegations and all-level contacts across channels.
They also pledged to make full use of existing bilateral cooperation mechanisms, particularly the Joint Cabinet Retreat mechanism and ministerial-level cooperation frameworks, while closely coordinating to effectively implement the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in the coming period.
The two sides also consented to enhance defence and security cooperation; maintain joint maritime patrols; and strengthen coordination in combating transnational crime, particularly drug trafficking, human trafficking and cybercrime. They reaffirmed their commitment not to allow any individual or organisation to use the territory of one country to act against the other.
In the economic sphere, the leaders concurred to effectively materialise the “Three Connections” Strategy; enhance connectivity in transport, logistics, aviation and tourism; and explore the development of road and coastal shipping routes linking the two countries and the Greater Mekong Subregion. The two countries will also make full use of the Vietnam–Thailand Joint Trade Committee mechanism, reduce trade barriers, facilitate market access for each other’s goods, and work towards achieving the bilateral trade target of 25 billion USD at an early date, with a longer-term goal of 50 billion USD in a balanced and sustainable manner.
The two sides committed to expanding cooperation in agriculture and food security, as well as in emerging fields such as science and technology, artificial intelligence, digital transformation, digital economy, green economy, just energy transition and innovation.
PM Hung stressed that Vietnam always welcomes, encourages and creates favourable conditions for foreign investors, including those from Thailand, to invest and do business in the country.
Commending Vietnam’s investment and business environment, PM Anutin thanked the Vietnamese Government and expressed his hope that it would continue to support Thai enterprises operating in the country and help address any difficulties they may encounter.
PM Anutin pledged that he will encourage Thai businesses to expand investment in areas where they have strengths and that align with Vietnam’s development priorities. He also expressed his hope that Vietnamese enterprises would step up investment in Thailand, while promoting business connectivity, supply chain linkages and strategic cooperation projects between the two countries.
The two sides agreed to enhance people-to-people exchanges, as well as cooperation in culture, tourism and twinning arrangements between localities.
PM Hung thanked the Thai Government for its support for the Vietnamese community in Thailand and for facilitating the preservation and promotion of the value of President Ho Chi Minh memorial sites and the network of Vietnamese pagodas in the country. He also proposed that Thailand continue to create favourable conditions for Vietnamese people to live, study and work stably in the country.
The Thai leader highly valued cooperation between the two countries under the Project for Conservation and Development of Sarus Cranes in Tram Chim National Park, affirming that Thailand is ready to transfer sarus cranes to Vietnam in support of biodiversity conservation and sustainable development.
On regional and international issues, the PMs agreed to continue close coordination within ASEAN and other multilateral mechanisms. They underscored the importance of maintaining ASEAN’s unity, cohesion and centrality, while promoting the bloc’s common stance on the East Sea based on international law, particularly the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
PM Hung highly valued Thailand’s role in promoting cooperation within the framework of the Ayeyawady–Chao Phraya–Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy (ACMECS) and other subregional cooperation mechanisms. He suggested the two sides coordinate in mobilising resources and strengthening connectivity in infrastructure, trade and investment, while enhancing cooperation in water resources management, climate change response, digital transformation, green transition and innovation.
PM Anutin expressed strong support for Vietnam’s proposals and affirmed that Thailand will continue to work closely with Vietnam to enhance the effectiveness of subregional cooperation mechanisms, contributing to the sustainable development and shared prosperity of the Mekong region.
On this occasion, he extended an invitation to PM Hung to pay an official visit to Thailand. The Vietnamese PM thanked his Thai counterpart and said he would arrange the visit at a mutually convenient time.
PM Anutin is in Vietnam for an official visit and to attend the third ASEAN Future Forum from June 8 to 9./.
