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| NA Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue (L) and President of Thai NA Wan Muhamad Noor Matha (Photo: VNA) |
NA Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue assured his host that Vietnam always attaches importance to and wishes to further enhance its strategic partnership with Thailand.
Wan Noor hailed the significance of the first visit to Thailand by Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue, which coincides with the 10th anniversary of bilateral strategic partnership this year. He affirmed that Vietnam is an important partner of Thailand in the region.
The two parliamentary leaders expressed their delight at the robust development of the Vietnam-Thailand bilateral strategic partnership across all fields, from politics, national defence-security to economy, trade, investment, tourism, transportation, education-training and culture. In ASEAN, Thailand remains Vietnam's largest trade partner, with a record two-way trade of nearly 22 billion USD last year, and the second largest investor in Vietnam with around 14 billion USD.
They agreed on major orientations to further promoting the role of the two legislative bodies in enhancing trust, facilitating and promoting cooperation across various fields. They agreed to increase the exchange of delegations at all levels through the Party, State, Government, NA and people-to-people exchange channels; effectively roll out cooperation mechanisms and actively implement the action plan to carry out the Vietnam-Thailand enhanced strategic partnership for the 2022-2027 period.
Host and guest vowed to strive to raise two-way trade to 25 billion USD in a more balanced manner by reducing trade barriers and creating a favourable environment for businesses from both countries to expand their operations.
The top Thai legislator agreed with Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue about the need for close collaboration to establish a favourable legal corridor to successfully implement the "Three Connectivity Partnership" strategy. This strategy involves forming new supply chains to produce high-value-added products, particularly in agriculture, contributing to food security in the region; connecting businesses and localities of the two countries, enhancing transportation links, and effectively cooperating in digital transformation in a safe and efficient manner and in the building of a green economy.
The host also proposed strengthening coordination in global issues such as climate change, environment protection, health care and pandemic prevention.
The two sides committed to fostering cooperation in other important areas such as national defence-security, maritime affairs, education-training, culture, tourism and people-to-people exchange. They also looked to expand programmes teaching Thai and Vietnamese languages in each country and develop a "Two Countries, One Destination" tourism project.
NA Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue appreciated Thailand's support for the building of a Vietnam Street and establishment of a Vietnam Studies Centre in Udon Thani province. He hoped that Thailand will continue creating favourable conditions for the Vietnamese community, activities of Vietnamese associations, as well as the preservation of relic sites associated with President Ho Chi Minh in the country.
About cooperation between the two legislatures, the leaders pledged to increase the exchange of delegations and exchange activities through channels such as friendship parliamentary groups, and female and young parliamentarians. They will hold activities to share law-building experience, consult and support each other at multilateral parliamentary forums, and step up the monitoring of the implementation of bilateral cooperation agreements signed by the two countries.
On global and regional issues of shared concerns, they reaffirmed their commitment to continuing to increase consultations and work closely together at global and regional forums. They highlighted ASEAN’s solidarity and central role in regional issues, coordination in the sustainable management and use of the Mekong River's water resources, and the importance of maintaining ASEAN unity and common stance on the East Sea issue.
Building upon the past achievements, Hue said both sides need to exert joint efforts to elevate bilateral relationship to a greater height. He invited the Thai NA President to visit Vietnam, and Wan Noor accepted the invitation with pleasure.
Concluding the talks, the two legislative leaders signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on cooperation between the Vietnamese NA and the Thai House of Representatives. They also witnessed the signing of an MoU on cooperation between the Office of the Vietnamese NA and Secretariat of the Thai House of Representatives.
On the occasion, they planted two rubber fig trees which were brought from Vietnam by Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue as a gift to the Thai parliament./.