Hanoi (VNA) 𒊎– Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra held talks and co-chaired the fourth Vietnam – Thailand Joint Cabinet Retreat in Hanoi on May 16 following the official welcome ceremony for the Thai leader.

At the meeting, PM Chinh highlighted the special significance of PM Paetongtarn's official visit – her first trip to Vietnam since taking office, and the first Joint Cabinet Retreat between the two countries' PMs in nearly a decade. Thailand is a close neighbour, an important partner, and a trusted companion sharing common values and interests with Vietnam, he affirmed. For her part, PM Paetongtarn stressed that Vietnam is one of Thailand’s top partners in the region. Underlining the special Joint Cabinet Retreat mechanism, which Thailand maintains only with neighbouring countries, including Vietnam, the leader expressed her desire to further advance bilateral relationship, making it more intensive and substantive. The two leaders exchanged views on the situation in their countries and bilateral ties, expressing satisfaction with the strong progress in the Vietnam – Thailand Strategic Partnership in recent years. With shared commitment and high-level consensus, both sides officially announced the elevation of bilateral relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, marking a new chapter in the relationship. This upgrade reflects the countries’ long-term vision, strategic trust, and shared aspirations for a cohesive and sustainable future. The two sides agreed to structure cooperation around three main pillars: Partnership for Sustainable Peace, Partnership for Sustainable Development, Partnership for a Sustainable Future. They concurred in further deepening political, defence, and security cooperation to ensure peace and stability in both countries and the region. The leaders also agreed to intensify high-level exchanges and strengthen bilateral cooperation mechanisms, particularly the Joint Cabinet Retreat and the Joint Commission on Bilateral Cooperation. In addition, they will explore upgrading existing cooperation frameworks and organise regular meetings between the two Prime Ministers at both bilateral and multilateral levels. The two sides agreed to carry out a series of practical activities to celebrate the 50th founding anniversary of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Thailand in 2026. They will work closely together in developing an action programme for implementing the Vietnam – Thailand Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, aiming for its early signing. They agreed to promote and expand cooperation in the fields of security, defence, and legal and judicial affairs while boosting joint efforts to combat transnational crimes, particularly drug trafficking, human trafficking, and cybercrime. They reaffirmed their commitment not to allow any individual or organisation to use one country's territory to conduct activities against the other.

In terms of economic cooperation, the leaders agreed to enhance economic connectivity under the "Three Connections" strategy, with a focus on connecting supply chains, enterprises, and localities, including improving connectivity in land, waterway, and air transport infrastructure, as well as the connectivity of sustainable development strategies. They pledged to facilitate bilateral import-export activities, aiming to raise trade turnover to 25 billion USD in a more balanced and sustainable manner. The two sides will create favourable conditions for businesses to access the markets and expand investment in each other’s countries, especially in potential sectors such as clean energy, digital economy, green economy, innovation, and high-tech agriculture. In addition, they will strengthen cooperation in labour, science and technology application, innovation, digital transformation, and green transition, according to the PMs. Affirming that people-to-people exchange is a valuable bridge in the bilateral relationship, the two sides agreed to strongly promote such exchanges, maximise local-level twinning relationships, and encourage the opening of more direct air routes between their localities. They also vowed to advance the realisation of the “Six Countries, One Destination” tourism connectivity initiative; and create favourable conditions for Vietnamese and Thai citizens to live, work, and study in each other's countries, thereby contributing to the preservation and development of the friendship and bonds between the two peoples. Regarding regional and international cooperation, both sides recognised that in the face of increasing complexity in regional and global developments, Vietnam and Thailand will enhance coordination and consultation on regional and international issues of mutual concern. They emphasised the importance of maintaining ASEAN’s solidarity, resilience, and unity in diversity, promoting the bloc’s centrality, sustaining peace, stability, security, safety, and freedom of navigation in the East Sea in accordance with international law, especially the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and accelerating the early finalisation of an effective and substantive Code of Conduct (COC) that is consistent with international law. On this occasion, Thai PM Paetongtarn invited PM Chinh and other high-ranking Vietnamese leaders to visit Thailand. The host said that he will arrange a trip at an appropriate time. Concluding the retreat, the two sides adopted a joint statement on the elevation of Vietnam – Thailand relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. They witnessed the exchange of eight cooperation documents in the fields of economy, security, and education; and held a press conference to announce the outcomes of the 4th joint cabinet meeting./.