Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc met with Thailand Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-o-cha (Photo: Thong Nhat/ VNA)

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc told the Thai newspaper “The Nation” that Vietnam wishes to join efforts with other ASEAN member states to realize the ASEAN Community Vision 2025 for solidarity, prosperity and heightened role in the region and the world. He upheld Vietnam’s view to settle disputes in the East Sea by peaceful means in line with international lawASEAN needs to firmly adhere to its fundamental position on the East Sea, in which the parties concerned should exercise restraints, refrain from any action which may further complicate the situation, refrain from militarization and seek to resolve disputes by peaceful means on the basis of international law, including the 1982 UNCLOS, strictly and fully implement the DOC, and strive to formulate a Code of Conduct (COC) that is effective and substantive in line with international law and endorsed by the international community. Regarding bilateral ties, the Prime Minister said that both should continue fostering trade and investment cooperation for our mutual benefit. there remain immense room and potentials for both sides to continue fostering trade and investment cooperation. Currently, Thailand is Vietnam’s largest trade partner in ASEAN. To attain the bilateral trade turnover of 20 billion USD by 2020, both sides need to further facilitate the two-way flows of goods and services, while encouraging Thai businesses to increase investment into Vietnam. Both countries need to maximize our cultural, religious, geo-economic similarities so as to align our national development strategies in line with our respective priorities, expand and deepen connectivity in the Mekong sub-region. The Prime Minister said both countries should make cultural, sports, tourism cooperation and people-to-people exchanges a key pillar of the bilateral cooperation. Both countries should continue the tradition of close coordination and mutual support at multilateral frameworks, especially in ASEAN. The Prime Minister said he was confident that with the efforts and determination of both countries’ leaders and people, the Vietnam-Thailand Strategic Partnership will ever flourish, thus contributing to building a united and strong ASEAN Community for peace, stability, cooperation and development of the region and the world.