Vietnam and Thailand upgrade partnership to comprehensive strategic level

Rewritten Article:

Vietnam and Thailand Elevate Relationship to Comprehensive Strategic Partnership

The Prime Ministers of Vietnam, Phạm Minh Chính, and Thailand, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, came together on Friday in Hà Nội to announce the official upgrading of their nations' relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership.

Following a successful 4th Việt Nam-Thailand Joint Cabinet Retreat, PM Chính expressed his satisfaction with the consensus reached on key strategic orientations between the two countries. Vietnam and Thailand have a long-standing history, with Thailand being one of the first ASEAN countries to establish diplomatic ties with Vietnam following Vietnam's national reunification.

Moreover, Vietnam and Thailand are the only nations to have established a joint cabinet meeting mechanism, which was initiated by Thai PM Thaksin Shinawatra in 2004. Thailand was also the first ASEAN country to establish a strategic partnership with Vietnam in 2013.

Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính and his Thai counterpart Paetongtarn Shinawatra at a press conference in Hà Nội on Friday. VNA /VNS Photo Dương Giang

According to PM Chính, this new comprehensive strategic partnership will foster a conducive environment for peace, security, and defence across ASEAN, Asia, and the world. It will also drive fast and sustainable socio-economic development in both Vietnam and Thailand, benefitting the citizens of both nations.

To implement this comprehensive strategic partnership, both countries agreed to promptly develop an action programme for the 2025-2030 period. This programme will be grounded in three key pillars.

Collaboration for Peace: The countries will strengthen high-level exchanges, enhance political, defense, and security cooperation, and bolster joint efforts in combating transnational crimes, such as drug trafficking, human trafficking, and cybercrime.
Partnership for Prosperity: The nations will focus on fortifying economic connectivity through the "Three-Connections Strategy", facilitating bilateral trade to reach $25 billion, and increasing cooperation in high-potential sectors such as clean energy, digital economy, green economy, innovation, and high-tech agriculture.
A Sustainable Future: Both countries will invest in youth, education, and people-to-people and cultural exchanges, fostering closer ties and ensuring a sustainable future for their citizens.

In terms of specific actions, both sides agreed to enhance political consultations, prepare for visits by the King and Queen of Thailand and Party General Secretary Tô Lâm, and explore upgrading the defense policy dialogue and the high-level dialogue on crime prevention, suppression, and security issues to ministerial levels. They will also intensify cooperation in maritime security, defense industry, logistics, military medicine, search and rescue, border management, and exchanges between military services and branches.

Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính and his Thai counterpart Paetongtarn Shinawatra announce the elevation of Việt Nam-Thailand relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership.

The partnership also emphasizes the need for peace, stability, security, safety, and freedom of navigation in the East Sea (South China Sea) in accordance with international law, particularly the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). Both sides also pledged to push for the early adoption of an effective and substantive Code of Conduct (COC) consistent with international law.

This comprehensive strategic partnership marks a significant leap in the bilateral relationship between Vietnam and Thailand, with PM Chính asserting that the relationship will continue to flourish and disseminate positive values for the two peoples and contribute to the peace, stability, cooperation, and sustainable development of Southeast Asia.

Thai PM Paetongtarn expressed her delight at the upgrade, stating that it underlines the importance both sides attach to each other and signals the beginning of a new era in bilateral relations. The Thai PM indicated that they have agreed to step up high-level visits and political consultations, with an immediate invitation extended to the Vietnamese Government leader to attend the Mekong – Lancang Cooperation Summit scheduled for late 2025, as well as activities commemorating the 50th anniversary of Vietnam – Thailand relations in 2026.

The two leaders witness the exchange of a memorandum of understanding between Việt Nam's Ministry of Industry and Trade and Thailand's Ministry of Commerce on cooperation in the fields of economy and trade.

The Prime Ministers of Vietnam and Thailand, Phạm Minh Chính and Paetongtarn Shinawatra, have agreed to implement the comprehensive strategic partnership through an action program, focusing on three key pillars: collaboration for peace, partnership for prosperity, and a sustainable future.
To achieve peace, the countries will boost political, defense, and security cooperation, combat transnational crimes like drug trafficking, human trafficking, and cybercrime.
For prosperity, the nations plan to boost economic connectivity, reach $25 billion in bilateral trade, and cooperate in high-potential sectors such as clean energy, digital economy, green economy, innovation, and high-tech agriculture.
To secure a sustainable future, both countries will invest in youth, education, and cultural exchanges.
Specific actions include enhancing political consultations, preparing for visits by the King and Queen of Thailand, and exploring upgrades in defense policy and crime prevention dialogues to ministerial levels.
Collaboration will extend to maritime security, defense industry, logistics, military medicine, search and rescue, border management, and exchanges between military services and branches.
The partnership also underscores the need for peace, stability, security, safety, and freedom of navigation in the East Sea (South China Sea) in accordance with international law, particularly the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
Both countries pledged to push for the early adoption of an effective and substantive Code of Conduct (COC) consistent with international law.
This comprehensive strategic partnership marks a significant progression in the bilateral relationship between Vietnam and Thailand, contributing positively to the peace, stability, cooperation, and sustainable development of Southeast Asia.
The Thai PM indicated that they have agreed to step up high-level visits and political consultations, with an immediate invitation extended to the Vietnamese Government leader to attend the Mekong – Lancang Cooperation Summit scheduled for late 2025, among other activities commemorating the 50th anniversary of Vietnam – Thailand relations in 2026.