At a meeting on January 14, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung expressed his delight at the fine development of friendly relations and strategic partnership between Vietnam and Thailand in all fields in recent years, which include the signing of an action programe on the implementation of bilateral strategic partnership.

PM Dung said that the visit will deepen bilateral cooperation, making it more practical and effective.

He underscored that Vietnam always esteems Thailand’s role in the region and the world and hopes the two countries with strive to implement the strategic partnership for their mutual development and ASEAN’s strength and prosperity and contribute to regional and world peace, stability, cooperation and development.

He appreciated the talks between Thai Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwon and his Vietnamese counterpart Phung Quang Thanh and emphasised that the Vietnamese Government supports cooperative activities between the two defence ministries.

PM Dung asked the two sides to soon carry out the reached agreements, further cooperate in joint sea patrol and set up a working group to deal with issues related to the two countries’ fishermen activities in a friendship and humanitarian spirit.

He asked Thailand to joints effort with Vietnam and other ASEAN member countries to accelerate the implementation of ASEAN goals and mutual support at regional and international forums.

The Vietnamese Government always welcomes and creates the best possible conditions for Thai investors to effectively operation in a long-term in Vietnam, Mr Dung stated, suggesting that the two countries soon sign a memorandum of understanding on labour cooperation.

Defence Minister Wongsuwon shared PM Dung’s view, saying that Thailand wants to boost cooperation with Vietnam in economics, trade, investment, agriculture, transport and others.

General Wognsuwon agreed that Thailand and Vietnam have supported each other in regional and international forums and contributed to develop a strong and prosperous ASEAN community for peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world.

Earlier in the morning, the Thai delegation was received by a Vietnamese Defence Ministry delegation headed by Minister, General Phung Quang Thanh.

The two sides reviewed cooperative results in recent years and discussed measures to bolster cooperation in the future, such as visit exchanges, military officers training and joint sea patrol.

During their stay in Vietnam from January 13-15, the Thai military delegation will visit some units of the Vietnam People’s Army.