President Nguyen Xuan Phuc. (Photo: VNA)
The visit to Thailand by Vietnamese President Nguyen Xuan Phuc takes place in the context the enhanced strategic partnership between the two countries is developing fruitfully despite impacts induced by the COVID-19 pandemic.
President Phuc, his spouse, and a high-ranking delegation of Vietnam will pay an official visit to Thailand and attend the 29th APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting in Bangkok from November 16-19.
This is made at the invitation of Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha.
Asia-Pacific and APEC remain important priorities in Vietnam’s foreign strategy and advocacy of fostering and advancing multilateral diplomacy, contributing to protecting and promoting security interests of APEC.
Vietnam-Thailand enhanced strategic partnership thriving
Over the past years, especially amid the pandemic, the enhanced strategic partnership has been constantly developing.
Thailand attaches importance to and wishes to continuously consolidate and enhance its fine cooperation and friendship with Vietnam.
In 2021 – the year marking the 45th anniversary of the bilateral diplomatic ties (August 6, 1976), the two countries coordinated in organising a range of meaningful activities in politics, economy and culture, while stepping up the communication work to raise public awareness of the relationship.
The two sides also maintained high-level activities and cooperation mechanisms between the Governments as well as ministries and agencies.
Thailand has remained Vietnam’s biggest trade partner in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), with two-way trade hitting a record 18.8 billion USD last year, up 18% year-on-year. In the first nine months of this year, the figure stood at 16.1 billion USD, a rise of 17.2% from the same period last year, of which Vietnam exported 5.6 billion USD worth of goods to Thailand, up 26.9%.
Thailand has remained Vietnam’s biggest trade partner in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), with two-way trade hitting a record 18.8 billion USD last year, up 18% year-on-year. (Photo: VNA)
As of September 2022, Thailand had run 670 valid projects with a total registered capital of nearly 13.1 billion USD, ranking ninth among the 139 countries and territories investing in Vietnam, and second in ASEAN, only after Singapore.
The Thai projects mainly focus on processing-manufacturing, production, power, gas and water distribution, real estate, retail and wholesale.
Meanwhile, Vietnam counts 17 projects worth 32.8 million USD in Thailand, ranking 33rd out of the 79 countries and territories that have poured capital in the country, mainly in processing-manufacturing, real estate, wholesale and retail.
Cooperation in other spheres like national defence and security, cross-border crime combat and education-training has also made progress.
The Thai government presented Vietnam with 10,000 COVID-19 test kits and 300,000 doses of AstraZeneca vaccine. Vietnam also provided medical equipment valued at 50,000 USD to Thailand.
Collaboration in labour, tourism and culture, as well as people-to-people exchange has also made strides over the past time.
In the first half of this year, Vietnam welcomed 39,679 visitors from Thailand, while Vietnamese tourists to Thailand numbered 130,000.
Eighteen cities and provinces of Vietnam have set up twinning relationship or cooperative ties with Thai localities. About 100,000 Vietnamese are living, working and studying in Thailand.
The two sides have also closely coordinated at regional and international forums. Regarding the East Sea issue, Thailand has shown its support for ASEAN’s common stance on settling disputes by peaceful measures, placing importance to restoring trust and confidence between regional countries to create an environment of peace, stability and sustainable development, and accelerating the implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) and the building of a Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC).
The two sides are scheduled to sign a number of cooperation documents during the Vietnamese leader’s visit.
Vietnam’s active engagement, contributions to APEC
Vietnam officially became a member of APEC at the 10th APEC Ministerial Meeting in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on November 15, 1998, raising the forum membership to 21.
Its joining has been viewed as a milestone in the implementation of Vietnam’s foreign policy of openness, persification and multilateralisation of relations and international economic integration.
Over the past 24 years, Vietnam has actively and positively contributed to APEC, for peace, stability, cooperation and connectivity in the region, and maintaining APEC’s role as a leading connection mechanism in Asia-Pacific.
Vietnam is among the very few economies that have successfully assumed the role of APEC host (in 2006 and 2017).
The country is also among the most active members of APEC in proposing initiatives and projects, with more than 100 projects in different fields, many of them have been highly valued for their pragmatism, especially those in sustainable, inclusive development, personnel development in the digital era, digital economy, food security, climate change response, women’s empowerment and urban and rural area development, among others.
In 2016-2018, Vietnam performed the role of the Chair and Vice Chair of 18 committees and working groups of APEC and the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC).
Since playing the host of APEC 2017, Vietnam has continued to engage and contribute to APEC cooperation, and worked to push ahead with the materialisation of important results of APEC 2017, particularly its initiative on building the APEC Vision 2040.
In 2022, Vietnam has made further contributions to activities and common concern of APEC, played an active role in realising the Aotearoa Plan of Action, which brings to life the APEC Vision 2040, and carried forward major outcomes of APEC 2017.
President Phuc is scheduled to attend and deliver a speech at the APEC CEO Summit and attend a number of meetings during the APEC Economic Leaders’ Week in Thailand./.