Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung will be visiting Thailand on July 23 at the invitation of Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha to further strengthen the bilateral relationship.

The trip will focus on a wide range of issues, including politics, security, defence, economy, trade, investment and labour as well as cooperation between the two countries at regional and sub-regional cooperation forums.

During the visit, the two leaders will co-chair the third Vietnam-Thailand joint cabinet meeting, a macro-level bilateral cooperation mechanism used for outlining major orientations in the friendship and cooperation between the two countries. PM Dung will also attend the Vietnam-Thailand Business Dialogue and meet with Vietnamese communities in the neighbouring country.

Since the two countries established diplomatic ties on August 6, 1976, the relationship has developed comprehensively. In 2013, during General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong’s visit to Thailand, it was upgraded to a strategic partnership. Vietnam and Thailand already signed an action plan to implement the Vietnam-Thailand strategic partnership from 2014-2018 in all cooperation fields.

The two countries signed a memorandum of understanding on defence cooperation during the Thai Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwon’s visit to Vietnam and shared experience in fighting transnational crime, drug crime, hi-tech crime and human trafficking.

In addition, Vietnam and Thailand also stepped up cooperation in education-training and culture. Thailand made it possible for Vietnam to build two monuments commemorating President Ho Chi Minh in U Don Thani and Nakhon Phanom provinces.

They increased cooperation in developing the East-West economic corridor, opened air routes between the two countries and are negotiating bus routes connecting the two countries via Laos and Cambodia.

The two countries agreed to extend cooperation in agriculture-forestry-fishery and science-technology.

Trade between the two countries reached 10.6 billion USD in 2014 and 4.35 billion USD in the first five months of 2015. As of June 2015, Thailand has been ranked the 10th largest investor among 101 territories and countries investing in Vietnam, with 392 valid projects and a combined registered investment capital of 6.8 billion USD./.

VNF/VNA