Party chief set to embark on Thai trip
VGP - Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong will pay an official visit to Thailand from June 25-27 at the invitation of Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra.
The visit demonstrates Viet Nam’s policy of proactive international integration, attaching importance to strengthening relations with regional countries to build a strong and united ASEAN Community and a peaceful, friendly, cooperative and developed Southeast Asian region.
Viet Nam and Thailand established their diplomatic ties in August 1976. Their relationship has particularly developed since Viet Nam officially joined the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in 1995.
The two sides have enhanced the exchange of high-ranking delegations in recent years. Together they organised an array of activities to celebrate the 35th anniversary of their bilateral diplomatic ties in 2011 and they planned the second Thailand-Viet Nam Joint Cabinet Retreat in October last year.
Economic and trade ties have also been expanded, particularly in rice production and export, finance, transport and oil and gas.
Last year, two-way trade hit US$8.62 billion. Thailand now ranks tenth out of Viet Nam’s 96 investors with 300 projects worth a total of US$6.11 billion.
In return, Viet Nam has invested in seven projects in Thailand with a total capital of US$11.35 million.
On the plane of cooperation in education, culture, sports and tourism, Thailand has assisted Viet Nam in teaching the Thai language in some Vietnamese universities, such as Ho Chi Minh City National University, Ha Noi National University, Da Nang University and Ha Noi University.
Thailand has also helped Viet Nam launch annual short-term training courses on the major contents of the two countries’ cooperative programme for Vietnamese officials.
The country has created conditions for the building of memorial areas dedicated to late President Ho Chi Minh in Udon Thani and Nakhon Phanom provinces, where he once lived and worked.
About 100,000 overseas Vietnamese people are living in Thailand. The host country has long implemented a policy of supporting the Vietnamese community to live stable lives and integrate into Thai society.
Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong’s visit is seen as an opportunity for an elevation in the Viet Nam-Thailand relationship, increasing the friendship, mutual trust and understanding between the two countries.-VNA
