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Top Vietnamese, Thai legislators hold online talks

VGP - National Assembly (NA) Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue held online talks with President of the National Assembly of Thailand Chuan Leekpai on August 30.

August 30, 2021 10:00 PM GMT+7

Both sides expressed their delight at the development of bilateral ties with growing trade. Thailand maintained its position as Viet Nam's largest trade partner in ASEAN and ninth largest investor.

In order to continue promoting Viet Nam-Thailand enhanced strategic partnership substantially, they agreed to maintain all-level exchanges, especially existing bilateral cooperation mechanisms.

Hue suggested the two countries soon sign the action programme to realise enhanced strategic partnership for the 2021-2025 period, accelerate talks and signing of important legal documents such as extradition agreement and judicial assistance agreement in civil matters, and create favourable conditions for firms to lift two-way trade to US$25 billion in a more balanced manner.

Viet Nam and Thailand should jointly step up Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS) cooperation mechanisms, combining GMS development with the process of building ASEAN Community, he said. He also suggested Thailand boost investment in Viet Nam in fields of Thailand’s strength and Vietnam’s demand such as tourism, hi-tech agriculture, information technology and clean energy.

The Vietnamese top legislator wished that the two nations would continue offering mutual support at multilateral forums. Thailand would continue working closely with Viet Nam to promote ASEAN’s common 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 and effectively abiding by the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (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 importance of maintaining peace and stability to contribute to regional development. He expressed his support for bolstering bilateral trade, reducing barriers and deepening ties.

About Thailand’s suggestion to help the transportation of its goods to the third country via Vietnam’s border gates, Hue affirmed that Viet Nam always wants to increase intra-ASEAN trade and connectivity between ASEAN and partners worldwide, as economy is one of the pillars of the ASEAN Community.

Hue expressed his wish that the two nations would resume the exchange of tourists in the new situation, especially adopting vaccine passport as well as piloting the connectivity between the two countries’ important destinations.

He proposed the Thai NA President consider the signing of a cooperation agreement between the two legislatures. He informed that the 15th Vietnamese NA will soon establish the Viet Nam-Thailand Friendship Parliamentarians’ Group./. VNA