ID :
307575
Wed, 11/20/2013 - 09:58
Auther :

Thailand, New Zealand to boost cooperation in all dimensions

BANGKOK, November 20 (TNA) - Thailand and New Zealand have agreed to boost bilateral relations and cooperation in all dimensions, covering attempts to double the value of two-way trade to 100 billion baht by 2020, while the New Zealand private sector has been invited to expand their investment in Thailand. The agreement was reached in Bangkok on Wednesday morning, when Thai Prime Minister and Defence Minister Yingluck Shinawatra welcomed her visiting New Zealand counterpart John Key and then had a plenary discussion. The Thai prime minister also welcomed New Zealand business operators who are accompanying the New Zealand leader and invited them to expand their investment in the Thai food, beverage, information technology (IT), production, logistic, health and infrastructure sectors. Premier Yingluck pointed out that New Zealand could support regional connectivity through its investment in mass transit projects in Thailand, considered a potential regional center, and could function as a gateway between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and other regions. After the discussion, both the Thai and New Zealand leaders witnessed the signing of three documents, comprising a letter of intent for cooperation on tourism, a letter of intent between Thailand's Office of the Civil Service Commission (OCSC) and New Zealand's eight educational institutes and a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between Thailand Professional Qualification Institute and Auckland University Technology (AUT). The Thai and New Zealand leaders then held a joint press conference, during which they promised to expand bilateral cooperation and exchange visits of high-ranking officials to further enhance bilateral relations and to facilitate bilateral cooperation in several fields, including education, technology, defence and security. Accompanied, also, by his spouse, the New Zealand Prime Minister is paying an official visit to Thailand from November 17-20, 2013 as the guest of the Thai government, aimed to strengthen bilateral relations between the two allied nations. The New Zealand Prime Minister departed from Thailand on Wednesday afternoon, ending his four-day official trip to the Kingdom, the first in his eight years in office, which marks the 57th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two allied countries and the 50th anniversary of Their Majesties the King and Queen of Thailand's state visit to New Zealand. (TNA)

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