Vietnam and Thailand would accelerate the draft of an action plan as part of the enhanced strategic partnership, including measures to ensure a balanced trade relation, which is expected to attain a total turnover of US$20 billion per year.

The information was unveiled at an online meeting between Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Quoc Dung and Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs of Thailand Thani Thongphakdi on February 24.

At the meeting, Thongphakdi stressed that Thailand always gives priority to its relations with Vietnam, and will continue to enhance the strong friendship between the two countries.

“Vietnam has become an example for the world in effectively containing the Covid-19 pandemic,” said Thongphakdi, expecting Thailand to continue cooperating with Vietnam in the Covid-19 fight, recovering the regional supply chain and ensuring greater access for Covid-19 vaccines.

Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Quoc Dung, left, and  Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs of Thailand Thani Thongphakdi . Photo: MOFA.

Vice Minister Dung expressed his thanks for the support of Thai’s authorities in allowing flights taking Vietnamese citizens back to the country, as well as supporting those currently residing in Thailand.

To further bilateral economic relations, Dung suggested Thailand to limit trade barriers and maintain frequent communication channels with Vietnamese peers regarding customs procedures.

In the coming time, the two sides are expected to jointly hold a series of activities this year, aiming to celebrate 45th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Thailand (1976-2021).

The two senior officials stressed the importance of effective cooperation among countries in the Greater Mekong Subregion, while pushing for the establishment of ASEAN Community and the soon ratification of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) in country members.

Both Vietnam and Thailand agreed that ASEAN should maintain unity and its central role in resolving territorial dispute in the South China Seas based on international laws and the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the SEA (UNCLOS).