Hanoi (VNA) – Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc affirmed Vietnam’s consistent policy of reinforcing all-around ties with Thailand during a reception in Hanoi on July 8 for Thai Foreign Minister Don Pramud🐓winai.

In such a spirit, he called for active implementation of the Joint Statement on the outcomes of the third Vietnam-Thailand Joint Cabinet’s meeting, the action programme on the Vietnam-Thailand strategic partnership for 2014-2018 and bilateral cooperation mechanisms. In order to lift two-way trade to 20 billion USD by 2020, both sides should come up with specific measures to effectively materialise the Action Programme on Vietnam-Thailand Trade and Investment for 2015-2020, he suggested. The Vietnamese government pledges all possible support for Thai firms operating in the country and encourages Thai investment in the areas of oil and gas, electricity, construction of industrial zones, garment and textiles, food produce, chemicals and tourism, he said. He also wished that the two countries’ ministries and agencies would sign new cooperation deals, ensure the progress of joint projects, and increase connectivity between the two economies by building a coastal transport route linking Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam, and a Thailand-Laos-Vietnam bus service. The two sides should also push ahead with the bilateral defence agreement and cooperation between the Vietnamese Ministry of Public Security and the Royal Thai Police, promptly sign an agreement on criminal extradition, and increase the use of a hotline between the two countries’ navies to deal with arising issues at sea, including those involving fishermen and vessels. The host suggested embarking on a labour cooperation agreement and offering favourable conditions to Vietnamese workers in Thailand. He stressed that Vietnam highly values Thai PM Prayuth Chan-ocha’s speech to the Shangrila Dialogue in Singapore in June, and asked Thailand to continue intensifying collaboration within ASEAN to maintain the bloc’s stance on the East Sea issue, toward the early formulation of a Code of Conduct in the East Sea. Expressing thanks to Thailand for its support for Vietnam to recover from drought and saline intrusion in the southern region, Phuc said the two sides need to partner with countries and international organisations in the sustainable and effective use and management of Mekong water resources in accordance with international practices, ensuring the interest of downstream Mekong countries. Pramudwinai, for his part, underscored Thailand’s wish to develop ties with Vietnam across the board, considering it a top priority. Thailand vows to seriously execute signed agreements, promote Thai investment in Vietnam as well as closely work with countries concerned in the effective and sustainable use and management of Mekong water resource, he said. The guest also proposed closer joint work in rice export, tourism and labour, and asked that the Vietnamese government provide all possible support for Thai firms operating in the country. On the East Sea issue, he said parties concerned must exert efforts to settle disputes and cooperation to transform the East Sea into an area of peace, stability and development. On the occasion, the Thai Foreign Minister conveyed PM Chan-ocha’s invitation to PM Nguyen Xuna Phuc to visit Thailand in the near future.-VNA