Vietnam and Thailand upgrade relations to Comprehensive Strategic Partnership

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh shakes hands with Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra before a small meeting - Photo: NGUYEN KHANH

At noon on May 16, after a small meeting and co-chairing the 4th joint cabinet meeting, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra met the press.

The Vietnamese Prime Minister expressed his pleasure at welcoming the Thai Prime Minister, affirming that the joint cabinet meeting mechanism is a unique form that Vietnam only has with Thailand. Recalling the history of previous meetings, he said that due to many objective reasons, there was a period of interruption.

However, this 4th meeting went very well, in the spirit of friendship, trust and mutual respect, contributing to the success of this visit of Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra.

"The most important result is that the two sides have agreed to upgrade from Strategic Partnership to Comprehensive Strategic Partnership," Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh announced at a press conference.

Thus, Thailand is the 13th country to have a comprehensive strategic partnership with Vietnam, and the 4th country in Southeast Asia after Indonesia, Singapore and Malaysia.

5 enhancements to bilateral relations

Regarding the future orientation after upgrading the relationship, the head of the Vietnamese Government announced that the two sides have agreed to urgently develop an action program to implement the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership for the 2025-2030 period based on the main pillars.

First, Partnership for Sustainable Peace. The two sides agreed to further deepen political, defense and security cooperation, maintaining a peaceful, secure and stable environment for the two countries.

Accordingly, the two sides will increase high-level contacts and bilateral cooperation mechanisms between the two countries. In the immediate future, according to the Prime Minister, they will promote the visit of the King and Queen of Thailand to Vietnam, as well as the visit to Thailand by General Secretary To Lam at a time suitable for both countries. In addition, annual meetings between the two Prime Ministers will be held at multilateral events and bilateral visits.

At the same time, they will study and upgrade the dialogue mechanism, promote and expand cooperation in security, maritime safety, and prevention of transnational and cyber crimes. Both sides reaffirmed their commitment not to allow any country to use one country's territory against another.

Second, Partnership for Sustainable Development. The two sides agreed to promote the connection of the two economies within the framework of the 3-connection strategy including connection of supply chains, connection of enterprises and localities of the two countries, connection of sustainable growth strategies, green growth, digital economy, green economy, and circular economy.

On that basis, the two sides agreed to deploy 5 reinforcements.

First of all, we will increase facilitation of each other's export goods, striving to reach 25 billion USD in trade turnover in the coming time towards balance.

At the same time, it creates favorable conditions for businesses of this country to expand their business in the other country, especially in the fields of clean energy, high technology, digital economy, green economy, innovation, and high-tech agriculture.

Second, strengthen connectivity in transport and logistics infrastructure, develop the East-West economic corridor, thereby facilitating the transport of goods and movement of people between the two countries.

Third, strengthen cooperation in the application of science and technology, innovation, digital transformation, and green transformation in economic fields, towards digital economy, green economy, and low-carbon economy.

Fourth, strengthen cooperation in employment and social security, implement agreements and create favorable conditions for Vietnamese workers to go to Thailand and vice versa.

Fifth, increase investment in education and the young generation, for a sustainable future between the people of the two countries. This includes expanding Vietnamese language training centers in Thailand and Thai language training centers in Vietnam.

The two sides encouraged maximizing the twinning relationship between localities, opening more universities in each country as well as opening direct flights connecting localities of the two countries and promoting the realization of tourism connection of 6 countries, 1 destination.

Signing many cooperation documents

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh also said that during the visit, he and the Thai Prime Minister witnessed the signing ceremony and exchange of cooperation documents in the fields of security, economy, trade, investment, and education.

Concluding his speech, the Vietnamese Prime Minister expressed his belief that with a common vision, a foundation of friendship and strategic trust, the relationship between the two countries will continue to develop strongly, spreading positive values not only for the benefit of the two countries but also the region and the world.

For his part, Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra expressed his joy that during this visit, the two countries upgraded their relations, opening a new era in bilateral relations.

She said that at the meeting with Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, the two sides had comprehensive discussions on many issues in a friendly atmosphere.

In terms of politics, she agreed with the previous sharing of the Vietnamese Prime Minister. On this occasion, Ms. Paetongtarn Shinawatra also respectfully invited Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh to attend the Mekong - Lancang Summit and visit Thailand in 2026 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of relations.

The Thai leader also proposed more cooperation between the two countries in defense and security, welcoming cooperation between the two sides to prevent online fraud and drug trafficking, and increased intelligence sharing to dismantle criminal networks.

Agreeing to promote economic connectivity between Vietnam and Thailand, Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra said that both countries need to take advantage of each other’s strengths. In the immediate future, it is necessary to quickly develop a strategy to implement the main pillars of the upgraded relationship framework.

Regarding trade, we strive to achieve a bilateral turnover of 25 billion USD as soon as possible, creating favorable conditions for agricultural and livestock products of each country. On this occasion, Ms. Paetongtarn Shinawatra thanked the Vietnamese Government for its attention and favorable conditions for Thai enterprises and affirmed that we welcome Vietnamese enterprises to invest in Thailand.

Regarding aviation, she proposed opening a direct flight route between Vietnam and the northeastern region of Thailand, as this area is being developed into a new logistics center of the region. Strengthening road connections between Thailand - Laos - Vietnam, and waterway connections between Thailand - Laos - Cambodia - Vietnam.

Regarding education, Thailand wants to work with Vietnam to strengthen human resource development in the STEM, AI, and semiconductor industries, in which the cooperation model between FPT University and Khon Kaen University (Thailand) for the semiconductor industry is a bright spot, encouraging the expansion of this cooperation model.

On May 15, Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra began an official visit to Vietnam at the invitation of Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh. This is the first time Ms. Paetongtarn Shinawatra has visited Vietnam as Prime Minister, and also the first visit by the head of the Thai Government to Vietnam in 11 years.

The visit is expected to bring bilateral relations to a new level, more substantive and effective, as the two countries look towards the 50th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations in 2026.

"The fact that the two Prime Ministers co-chaired the 4th joint cabinet meeting, a mechanism with a very special name, demonstrated their high interest and common determination to develop bilateral relations," Vietnamese Ambassador to Thailand Pham Viet Hung shared before the visit.

It is expected that many cooperation documents will be signed on this occasion, thereby creating a foundation for cooperation between the two countries in general, and businesses and localities in particular, contributing to deepening relations in all fields.