Vietnamese Deputy PM holds talk with Thai counterpart

Hanoi, May 26 (VNA) - Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh met with his Thai counterpart Tanasak Patimapragorn on May 25 in preparation of the upcoming 3rd joint cabinet meeting between the two countries. The two leaders expressed their joy over the fruitful development of the bilateral friendship and cooperation in recent years, especially since the two countries set up the Strategic Partnership on the occasion of Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong’s official visit to Thailand in 2013. They agreed to intensify links in order to effectively implement the 2014-2018 Vietnam-Thailand action plan signed in November last year as well as the agreements reached during the 2nd meeting of the Vietnam-Thailand Joint Committee on Bilateral Cooperation in March this year. The two sides concurred that it was necessary to strengthen cooperation in the fields of the economy, trade, investment, transport and tourism in the near future. Deputy PM Minh praised his Thai counterpart for his efforts and contributions to promoting ties between the foreign ministries of Vietnam and Thailand, thus laying the foundation for the creation of a cooperation mechanism between the two countries in times to come. During their talks, the two sides also compared notes on global and regional issues of common concern, including the establishment of an ASEAN Community and the ongoing tensions in the East Sea. Deputy PM and FM Minh is on a working visit to Thailand from May 24-26./.