Vietnamese, Thai top legislators hold online talks
Hanoi (VNA) – National Assembly
(NA) Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue held online talks with President of the National Assembly of Thailand
Chuan Leekpai on August 30.
Both sides expressed their delight at
the development of bilateral ties with growing trade. Thailand maintained its
position as Vietnam's largest trade partner in ASEAN and ninth largest
investor.
In order to continue promoting Vietnam-Thailand enhanced strategic partnership substantially, they agreed to maintain
all-level exchanges, especially existing bilateral cooperation mechanisms.
Hue suggested the two countries soon
sign the action programme to realise enhanced strategic partnership for the
2021-2025 period, accelerate talks and signing of important legal documents
such as extradition agreement and judicial assistance agreement in civil
matters, and create favourable conditions for firms to lift two-way trade to 25
billion USD in a more balanced manner.
Vietnam and Thailand should jointly step
up Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS) cooperation mechanisms, combining GMS
development with the process of building ASEAN Community, he said. He also
suggested Thailand boost investment in Vietnam in fields of Thailand’s strength
and Vietnam’s demand such as tourism, hi-tech agriculture, information
technology and clean energy.
The Vietnamese top legislator wished
that the two nations would continue offering mutual support at multilateral
forums. Thailand would continue working closely with Vietnam to promote ASEAN’s
common stance on the East Sea issue, thus ensuring peace, stability, security,
maritime and aviation safety and freedom in line with international law,
especially the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, fully and
effectively abiding by the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East
Sea (DOC) and soon reaching a practical and effective Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC) in accordance with international law.
Chuan Leekpai, for his part, underscored the importance
of maintaining peace and stability to contribute to regional development. He
expressed his support for bolstering bilateral trade, reducing barriers and
deepening ties.
About Thailand’s suggestion to help the transportation
of its goods to the third country via Vietnam’s border gates, Hue affirmed that
Vietnam always wants to increase intra-ASEAN trade and connectivity between ASEAN
and partners worldwide, as economy is one of the pillars of the ASEAN
Community.
Hue expressed his wish that
the two nations would resume the exchange of tourists in the new situation,
especially adopting vaccine passport as well as piloting the connectivity
between the two countries’ important destinations.
He proposed the Thai NA President
consider the signing of a cooperation agreement between the two legislatures.
He informed that the 15th Vietnamese NA will soon establish the
Vietnam – Thailand Friendship Parliamentarians’ Group./.