Vietnam-Thailand cooperation in the spotlight
Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and his Thai counterpart Yingluck Shinawatra will co-chair the second Vietnam-Thailand joint Cabinet meeting in Hanoi on October 27.
They will review the implementation of agreements reached during the previous meeting, which took place in both Vietnam’s Da Nang city and Thailand’s Nakhon Phanom province in 2004, and discuss measures to strengthen friendship and cooperation between the two countries.
The level of friendship and cooperation between Vietnam and Thailand has developed well since both countries established bilateral diplomatic ties in 1976.
The Vietnamese Government and people have always attached great importance to developing a sound relationship with Thailand, both on the bilateral basis and at the regional level, for the sake of mutual benefit, peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world at large.
In 2011, the two countries celebrated the 35th anniversary of their bilateral diplomatic ties by holding a wide range of significant events.
Both countries have regularly exchanged visits and held meetings at every level. Many cooperation mechanisms, such as the joint committee on trade cooperation, the joint cabinet meeting and the ongoing political consultation between both foreign ministries, have worked extremely well.
In addition, the two counties always support each other in regional and sub-regional cooperation frameworks, as well as at global forums.
Economic, trade and investment cooperation between Vietnam and Thailand has developed rapidly, with two-way trade reaching nearly US$8.1 billion in 2011 and US$ 6.2 billion in the first nine months of this year. Vietnam is now Thailand’s ninth biggest importer and its 17th largest export partner.
By September this year, Thailand had 292 operational FDI projects in Vietnam with a total registered investment capital of US$6 billion, ranking 10th amongst the 96 countries and territories investing in the country.
Vietnam is currently operating seven projects in Thailand, capitalised with US$12 million, ranking 27th out of 55 investors.
Bilateral cooperation in the education and training sector has also seen encouraging results, especially in granting scholarships and in Vietnamese and Thai language training.