Hanoi (VNA) – National Assembly(NA) Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue held online talks with President of the National Assembly of ThailandChuan Leekpai on August 30.
Both sides expressed their delight atthe development of bilateral ties with growing trade. Thailand maintained itsposition as Vietnam's largest trade partner in ASEAN and ninth largestinvestor.
In order to continue promoting Vietnam-Thailand enhanced strategic partnership substantially, they agreed to maintainall-level exchanges, especially existing bilateral cooperation mechanisms.
Hue suggested the two countries soonsign the action programme to realise enhanced strategic partnership for the2021-2025 period, accelerate talks and signing of important legal documentssuch as extradition agreement and judicial assistance agreement in civilmatters, and create favourable conditions for firms to lift two-way trade to 25billion USD in a more balanced manner.
Vietnam and Thailand should jointly stepup Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS) cooperation mechanisms, combining GMSdevelopment with the process of building ASEAN Community, he said. He alsosuggested Thailand boost investment in Vietnam in fields of Thailand’s strengthand Vietnam’s demand such as tourism, hi-tech agriculture, informationtechnology and clean energy.
The Vietnamese top legislator wishedthat the two nations would continue offering mutual support at multilateralforums. Thailand would continue working closely with Vietnam to promote ASEAN’scommon 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 andeffectively abiding by the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the EastSea (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 importanceof maintaining peace and stability to contribute to regional development. Heexpressed his support for bolstering bilateral trade, reducing barriers anddeepening ties.
About Thailand’s suggestion to help the transportationof its goods to the third country via Vietnam’s border gates, Hue affirmed thatVietnam always wants to increase intra-ASEAN trade and connectivity between ASEANand partners worldwide, as economy is one of the pillars of the ASEANCommunity.
Hue expressed his wish thatthe two nations would resume the exchange of tourists in the new situation,especially adopting vaccine passport as well as piloting the connectivitybetween the two countries’ important destinations.
He proposed the Thai NA Presidentconsider the signing of a cooperation agreement between the two legislatures.He informed that the 15th Vietnamese NA will soon establish theVietnam – Thailand Friendship Parliamentarians’ Group./.