The first Vietnam – Thailand Joint Commission for BilateralCooperation convened in Bangkok on November 5 to discuss bilaterallinks across the board.
Co-chaired by Vietnamese ForeignMinister Pham Binh Minh and Thai Deputy Prime Minister and ForeignMinister Surapong Tovichakchaikul, the discussions featured links acrosspolitics, defence-security, economics, trade, investment, transport,agro-forestry-fisheries, culture, education, sports, tourism, labour andpeople-to-people exchange.
Both sides declared specialattention to developing the strategic partnership that was establishedin June, agreeing that all-level visits and people-to-people exchangeswill be facilitated in order to strengthen friendship, and mutualunderstanding and trust.
The two ministers approved the2014-2018 Vietnam–Thailand action plan which is expected to be signed atthe third meeting of the Joint Vietnam-Thailand Cabinet Retreat in thenear future.
They vowed to work closely with relevant agencies to fulfil goals set under the scheme as scheduled.
A range of steps will be rolled out to lift two-way trade to 15billion USD by 2020. At the same time, concrete ways will be developedto further agro-forestry-fisheries cooperation, especially in thesettlement of issues related to fishermen and vessels encroaching eachnation’s waters in a humanitarian and friendly spirit.
Turningattention to national defence-security links, both ministers consentedto the implementation of the cooperation agreement signed between thetwo defence ministries on September 26, 2012 , and the JointDeclaration on the Thailand-Vietnam Security Vision for the 2012–2016period signed last October.
They vowed to enhance the exchangeof all-level delegations and maintain the mechanism of the JointWorking Group on Political and Security Cooperation’s meeting and jointpatrols in waters.
Expressing delight at the close bilateralcoordination at regional and global forums, particularly within ASEANand the United Nations framework, they pledged to work closely togetherand with other members to materialise the ASEAN Community by 2015 anduphold the ASEAN’s central role in dealing with regional issues.
Touching on the East Sea , both host and guest reached consensuson close cooperation for regional peace, stability and security,including maritime security, safety and freedom in the East Sea .According to them, disputes must be settled by peaceful means in linewith international law, especially the 1982 United Nations Convention onthe Law of the Sea and the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in theEast Sea (DOC).
Minh and Tovichakchaikul committed to working together to formulate a Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC) soon.
The second meeting of this kind is scheduled for next year.
Meeting with Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra the same day,Minh thanked the Thai Government and people for assisting the Vietnamesecommunity integrate into the host country.
PM Yingluck highlyvalued the significance of the meeting, considering it as an importantmechanism to bolster the bilateral strategic partnership.
Sheexpressed her wish that both nations will make it easier for theirpeople to travel and trade goods. She affirmed that Thailand willcontribute efforts to peace, stability and maritime freedom in theEast Sea while suggesting more meetings between ASEAN nations to reachthe COC soon.-VNA
Co-chaired by Vietnamese ForeignMinister Pham Binh Minh and Thai Deputy Prime Minister and ForeignMinister Surapong Tovichakchaikul, the discussions featured links acrosspolitics, defence-security, economics, trade, investment, transport,agro-forestry-fisheries, culture, education, sports, tourism, labour andpeople-to-people exchange.
Both sides declared specialattention to developing the strategic partnership that was establishedin June, agreeing that all-level visits and people-to-people exchangeswill be facilitated in order to strengthen friendship, and mutualunderstanding and trust.
The two ministers approved the2014-2018 Vietnam–Thailand action plan which is expected to be signed atthe third meeting of the Joint Vietnam-Thailand Cabinet Retreat in thenear future.
They vowed to work closely with relevant agencies to fulfil goals set under the scheme as scheduled.
A range of steps will be rolled out to lift two-way trade to 15billion USD by 2020. At the same time, concrete ways will be developedto further agro-forestry-fisheries cooperation, especially in thesettlement of issues related to fishermen and vessels encroaching eachnation’s waters in a humanitarian and friendly spirit.
Turningattention to national defence-security links, both ministers consentedto the implementation of the cooperation agreement signed between thetwo defence ministries on September 26, 2012 , and the JointDeclaration on the Thailand-Vietnam Security Vision for the 2012–2016period signed last October.
They vowed to enhance the exchangeof all-level delegations and maintain the mechanism of the JointWorking Group on Political and Security Cooperation’s meeting and jointpatrols in waters.
Expressing delight at the close bilateralcoordination at regional and global forums, particularly within ASEANand the United Nations framework, they pledged to work closely togetherand with other members to materialise the ASEAN Community by 2015 anduphold the ASEAN’s central role in dealing with regional issues.
Touching on the East Sea , both host and guest reached consensuson close cooperation for regional peace, stability and security,including maritime security, safety and freedom in the East Sea .According to them, disputes must be settled by peaceful means in linewith international law, especially the 1982 United Nations Convention onthe Law of the Sea and the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in theEast Sea (DOC).
Minh and Tovichakchaikul committed to working together to formulate a Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC) soon.
The second meeting of this kind is scheduled for next year.
Meeting with Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra the same day,Minh thanked the Thai Government and people for assisting the Vietnamesecommunity integrate into the host country.
PM Yingluck highlyvalued the significance of the meeting, considering it as an importantmechanism to bolster the bilateral strategic partnership.
Sheexpressed her wish that both nations will make it easier for theirpeople to travel and trade goods. She affirmed that Thailand willcontribute efforts to peace, stability and maritime freedom in theEast Sea while suggesting more meetings between ASEAN nations to reachthe COC soon.-VNA
