Paetongtarn to make first visit to Vietnam to forge bilateral ties
BANGKOK: Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra (pic) will make her first official visit to Vietnam since taking office, from Wednesday to Thursday, with the goal of strengthening bilateral ties, government spokesperson Jirayu Huangsap said on Sunday (May 11).
Jirayu said the visit aims to elevate Thailand-Vietnam relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, the highest level of diplomatic engagement Vietnam maintains with other countries. This status reflects deep cooperation and shared interests across key sectors.
During the trip, Paetongtarn is scheduled to attend the 4th Meeting of the Joint Commission on Bilateral Cooperation between the two nations.
The two countries are expected to sign partnership agreements focused on three pillars: security, economic growth, and future development, he added.
Key topics on the agenda include transboundary crime, drug issues, economic connectivity, labour welfare, the green and digital economies, tourism, and the advancement of AI technology, he said.
The two leaders will also discuss international security and global challenges, particularly the impact of US tariffs imposed during the Trump administration, which saw duties of 36% on Thai exports and 46% on Vietnamese exports. Those tariffs were later paused for 90 days, he added.
'Amid global economic and political uncertainty, Thailand and Vietnam are working to deepen their partnership. A comprehensive strategic partnership will help drive shared economic goals and reinforce Asean's position in navigating global trade tensions,' Jirayu said.
He also highlighted a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Thailand's Ministry of Commerce and Vietnam's Ministry of Industry and Trade, which aims to increase bilateral trade to US$25 billion.
The MoU supports the creation of a Joint Committee on Trade to facilitate trade-related cooperation between the two nations. - The Nation/ANN
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