VietNamNet Bridge – The successful visit of General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Nguyen Phu Trong to Thailand from June 25-27 marks a historic milestone in promoting Vietnam-Thailand friendship and cooperation.

Viet Nam boosts Thailand ties with Joint Statement

Overview of the talk between Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra. (Photo: VNA)

Hoang Binh Quan, a member of the CPV’s Central Committee and the Head of the CPVCC’s Commission for External Relations, said on meeting the media to announce the visit’s results.

He said the visit has positively contributed to consolidating the peaceful, sustainable and cooperative environment in Southeast Asia and the building of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Community by 2015.

The General Secretary’s visit reaffirmed that Vietnam has always attached much importance to developing friendly and cooperative relations with ASEAN member countries. With other members, the country is determined to build a united, strong and coherent ASEAN Community for a peaceful, cooperative and developing Southeast Asian region.

The General Secretary and the Vietnamese high-ranking delegation had talks and meetings with the leaders of the Government, Parliament and the two largest parties of Thailand, helping the two countries’ leaders deepen their mutual trust and understanding.

The two sides were highly unanimous on the important directions and measures to enhance their mutual relations in the time to come, discussing international and regional issues that concern both sides.

The two countries issued a joint statement on the decision to establish the Vietnam-Thailand Strategic Partnership, starting a new page in bilateral cooperation.

Thailand is the first ASEAN country to set up a strategic partnership with Vietnam.

During his visit, General Secretary Trong also had result-oriented meetings with leaders of the ruling Pheu Thai Party and the Democratic Party.

They discussed measures to strengthen the relationship between the Communist Party of Vietnam and Thailand’s political parties in the coming time, which will become a favourable political basis for the two states’ relations, Quan recounted.

At the talks and meetings, the two sides exchanged their views on regional and international issues of mutual concern in an open and straightforward manner.

They emphasised the necessity to intensify the solidarity and cooperation within ASEAN and maintain the association’s central role in the region.

They also highlighted the importance of maintaining peace and stability in the East Sea to ensure the prosperous and long-term development of the region.

Accordingly, the two countries’ leaders asked relevant sides to avoid the use or threat of force over the East Sea issue, solve disputes by peaceful means in compliance with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, the Declaration of the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea, and build the Code of Conduct in the East Sea.

The two sides were unanimous in reinforcing their cooperation in using and protecting Mekong River water resources.

In the coming time, Vietnam will boost cooperation and delegation exchanges at various levels between the two countries’ Parties, parliamentary bodies, peoples and localities, Quan told the press.

Ministries and branches will actively enhance cooperation with Thailand’s relevant agencies in accordance with the Vietnam-Thailand joint statement.

During his stay in Thailand, General Secretary Trong visited Nakhon Phanom Province and met the local Vietnamese community living there. He affirmed that the Vietnamese Party and State always consider the Vietnamese community abroad as an inseparable part of the country and a driving force for Vietnamese people.

Source: Vietnam Plus