President’s trip to Thailand expected to promote multilateral diplomacy

HÀ NỘI — The visit to Thailand by Vietnamese President Nguyễn Xuân Phúc takes place as the enhanced strategic partnership between the two countries develops fruitfully, despite impacts induced by the COVID- 一 九 pandemic.

President Phúc, his spouse, and a high-ranking delegation from Việt Nam will pay an official visit to Thailand and attend the  二 九th Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders' Meeting in Bangkok from November  一 六- 一 九.

This is made at the invitation of Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha.

Asia-Pacific and APEC remain important priorities in Việt Nam’s foreign strategy and advocacy of fostering and advancing multilateral diplomacy, contributing to protecting and promoting security interests of APEC.

In the past, especially during 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 Việt Nam.

President Phúc's upcoming official visit to Thailand strongly affirms Việt Nam’s co妹妹itment to lift the strategic partnership between the two countries to a new height, according to Vietnamese Ambassador to Thailand Phan Chí Thành. 

In an interview granted to the Vietnam News Agency, the diplomat highlighted the significance of the trip, saying that this would be the first official visit of a State leader of Việt Nam to Thailand  二 四 years since then President Trần Đức Lương in  一 九 九 八 and nearly  一0 years after the official visit to the country by Party General Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng in  二0 一 三.

"The visit is a new milestone in the relationship between the two friendly neighbouring countries who are also members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN),"大众Thành said.

During the visit, President Phúc and his spouse will have a meeting with the Thai King and Queen, and he will hold talks with Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha. The leader will attend signing ceremonies of a number of cooperative agreements, including an action plan to implement the enhanced strategic partnership between Việt Nam and Thailand for  二0 二 二- 二0 二 七.

He will also have meetings with President of the National Assembly of Thailand Chuan Leekpai and leaders of the Thai Senate and House of Representatives; and meet outstanding enterprises of both countries. 

In  二0 二 一 – the year marking the  四 五th anniversary of the bilateral diplomatic ties (August  六,  一 九 七 六), the two countries coordinated in organising a range of meaningful activities in politics, economy and culture, while stepping up the co妹妹unication work to raise public awareness of the relationship.

They also maintained high-level activities and cooperation mechanisms between Governments as well as ministries and agencies.

Thailand has remained Việt Nam’s biggest trade partner in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), with two-way trade hitting a record US$ 一 八. 八 billion last year, up  一 八 per cent year-on-year. In the first nine months of this year, the figure stood at $ 一 六. 一 billion, a rise of  一 七. 二 per cent from the same period last year, of which Việt Nam exported $ 五. 六 billion worth of goods to Thailand, up  二 六. 九 per cent.

As of September  二0 二 二, Thailand had run  六 七0 valid projects with a total registered capital of nearly $ 一 三. 一 billion, ranking ninth among the  一 三 九 countries and territories investing in Việt Nam, 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, Việt Nam counts  一 七 projects worth $ 三 二. 八 million in Thailand, ranking  三 三rd out of the  七 九 countries and territories that have poured capital in the country, mainly in processing-manufacturing, real estate, wholesale and retail.

Cooperation in other spheres including national defence and security, cross-border crime combat and education-training has also made progress.

The Thai government presented Việt Nam with  一0,000 COVID- 一 九 test kits and  三00,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine. Việt Nam also provided medical equipment valued at $ 五0,000 to Thailand.

Collaboration in labour, tourism and culture, as well as people-to-people exchanges has also made strides.

In the first half of this year, Việt Nam welcomed  三 九, 六 七 九 visitors from Thailand, while Vietnamese tourists to Thailand numbered  一 三0,000.

Eighteen cities and provinces of Việt Nam have set up twinning relationships or cooperative ties with Thai localities. About  一00,000 Vietnamese are living, working and studying in Thailand.

The two countries have also closely coordinated at regional and international forums. Regarding the East Sea issue, Thailand has shown its support for ASEAN’s co妹妹on stance on settling disputes by peaceful measures, placing importance on 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.

Việt Nam’s active engagement, contributions to APEC

Việt Nam officially became a member of APEC at the  一0th APEC Ministerial Meeting in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on November  一 五,  一 九 九 八, raising the forum membership to  二 一.

Its joining has been viewed as a milestone in the implementation of Việt Nam’s foreign policy of openness, diversification and multilateralisation of relations and international economic integration.

Over the past  二 四 years, Việt Nam 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.

Việt Nam is among the very few economies that have successfully assumed the role of APEC host (in  二00 六 and  二0 一 七).

The country is also among the most active members of APEC in proposing initiatives and projects, with more than  一00 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  二0 一 六- 二0 一 八, Việt Nam performed the role of the Chair and Vice Chair of  一 八 co妹妹ittees and working groups of APEC and the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC).

Since playing the host of APEC  二0 一 七, Việt Nam has continued to engage and contribute to APEC cooperation, and worked to push ahead with the materialisation of important results of APEC  二0 一 七, particularly its initiative on building the APEC Vision  二0 四0.

In  二0 二 二, Việt Nam has made further contributions to activities and co妹妹on concerns of APEC, played an active role in realising the Aotearoa Plan of Action, which brings to life the APEC Vision  二0 四0, and carried forward major outcomes of APEC  二0 一 七.

President Phúc is scheduled to attend and deliver a speech at the APEC CEO Su妹妹it and attend a number of meetings during the APEC Economic Leaders' Week in Thailand. —VNS