On July 23 in Bangkok, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha held talks and co-chaired the 3rd Vietnam-Thailand Joint Cabinet Meeting. The two sides agreed on measures to strengthen the Vietnam-Thailand Strategic Partnership on the eve of the 5th decade of bilateral relations.

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and his wife, Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and his wife take a group photo. Photo: VNA

Signing of 5 documents

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha yesterday witnessed the signing ceremony of five documents, including: Joint Statement on the 3rd Vietnam - Thailand Joint Cabinet Meeting; Memorandum of Understanding on Vietnam - Thailand Labor Cooperation; Agreement on Sending and Receiving Vietnamese - Thai Labor; Memorandum of Understanding on Establishing Friendship Relations between Kon Tum Province and Ubon Ratchathani Province; and Memorandum of Understanding on Establishing Friendship Relations between Long An Province and Trat Province.

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha stressed the importance of recent high-level visits between the two countries, agreeing to promote the exchange of visits and bilateral contacts through all channels, at all levels, with the desire to lay the foundation for extensive cooperation in all fields. The two sides agreed to strengthen and further deepen the bilateral relations as recorded in the Action Program to implement the Vietnam-Thailand Strategic Partnership for the 2014-2018 period; and acknowledged the importance of existing bilateral cooperation mechanisms.

The two Prime Ministers agreed to set a target of raising bilateral trade turnover from 15 billion USD to 20 billion USD by 2020; establish an informal consultation mechanism for businesses in each country; promote the formation of multimodal transport networks, including land, sea and air; establish a Joint Working Group to cooperate in combating illegal fishing; and initiate negotiations on an extradition treaty.

At the joint Cabinet meeting, the two sides also agreed to strengthen cooperation and investment in key sectors such as maritime tourism, passenger transport; textile and garment, leather and footwear industries; agriculture, seafood, agricultural and food processing; rubber planting and processing; mechanical engineering, chemicals, and raw materials.

Speaking at the Vietnam - Thailand Business Dialogue, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung emphasized that Vietnam is actively promoting comprehensive international integration in all fields and is determined to synchronously implement many solutions to strongly improve the investment and business environment, enhance national competitiveness, and strongly attract foreign investment, including Thai investors. Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung affirmed that Vietnam highly values ​​and appreciates Thai investment projects in Vietnam and will create all favorable conditions for Thai and foreign investors in general to invest successfully, sustainably, and long-term in Vietnam.

Thailand currently ranks 10th out of 103 countries and territories with investment projects in Vietnam with 392 direct investment projects with a total capital of nearly 7 billion USD. Thailand is also Vietnam's 5th largest trade partner; turnover reached about 4.4 billion USD in the first 5 months of 2015.

Share concerns about the East Sea

The two sides reaffirmed their commitment not to allow any individual or organization to use the territory of one country to carry out activities against the other.

Regarding regional issues, the two leaders highly appreciated the cooperation and coordination between the two countries at regional forums and agreed to continue promoting cooperation at these forums, especially at ASEAN. The two sides reaffirmed the views stated in the Statement of the Chairman of the 26th ASEAN Summit. The two sides shared concerns that the situation in the East Sea has affected trust and may undermine peace, security and stability in the region. The two sides reaffirmed the importance of maintaining peace, stability as well as safety and freedom of navigation and aviation in the East Sea.

The two sides stressed the need for all parties to ensure full and effective implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea; build, maintain and enhance mutual trust and confidence; refrain from conducting activities; refrain from using force or threatening to use force; and resolve differences and disputes by peaceful means in accordance with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, and called for increased dialogue and consultations to soon reach a Code of Conduct of Parties in the East Sea.

(According to TPO)