Vietnamese President Nguyễn Xuân Phúc met with the President of the National Assembly (NA) of Thailand Chuan Leekpai in Bangkok on Thursday. — VNA/VNS Photos Thống Nhất

BANGKOK — Vietnamese President Nguyễn Xuân Phúc met with the President of the National Assembly (NA) of Thailand Chuan Leekpai in Bangkok on Thursday, highlighting the importance of people-to-people and language exchanges between the two countries.

Congratulating the great results of the talks held between President Phúc and Thailand’s Prime Minister with many documents signed on Wednesday, Chuan said he believed the visit will contribute to further enhancing and deepening the strengthened strategic partnership between the two countries.

Phúc, who was on an official visit to Thailand for the first time as President, congratulated the Southeast Asian country on hosting the 30th Annual Meeting of the Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) 2022 summit.

During the talks, the two leaders agreed to strengthen high-level exchanges and those of all levels and channels including the parliament channel while continuing to promote the role of legislature agencies in enhancing bilateral relations as well as coordinating in inspecting the cooperation agreements between the two countries.

Chuan said Thailand will cooperate closely with Việt Nam to effectively implement the recently signed agreement on mutual judicial assistance in civil matters.

Highly valuing the quality of Việt Nam’s education, Chuan suggested the two sides expand cooperation in education and training, further enhancing the teaching of the Vietnamese language.

He also stressed that the teaching of Vietnamese and Thai languages in respective countries would help to tighten the connection between the two countries.

Phúc asked Thailand’s National Assembly to pay attention to further facilitating Vietnamese goods to enter Thai markets while pushing the signing and ratifying of new agreements to meet the increasingly diverse demand for cooperation between the two countries.

Agreeing with the suggestions of President Phúc, Thailand’s NA President Chuan said the Vietnamese-origin people in Thailand are a source of high-quality human resources, contributing to the socio-economic development of Thailand.

He added that his NA would continue to create more favourable conditions for the Vietnamese community as well as pay attention to preserving and promoting the values of Vietnamese historical and cultural relics in Thailand, especially three relics commemorating late President Hồ Chí Minh.

Discussing the regional and international issues, Phúc asked Thailand’s NA to continue to support ASEAN’s common stance on the maintenance of peace, security, stability, safety and freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea (known in Việt Nam as the East Sea); the settlement of disputes through peaceful means based on the international law including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), the full implementation of the 2002 Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC); and the early conclusion of an effective and substantive Code of Conduct in the South China Sea (COC) consistent with international law.

Enhancing friendship

During the meeting with the President of Thailand-Việt Nam Friendship Association Sanan Angubolkul on the same day, President Phúc said people-to-people exchanges play a very important role in the relationship between the two countries.

He also praised the association’s practical activities especially the acceleration of trade and investment cooperation.

President Phúc meets Sanan Angubolkul, President of Thailand-Việt Nam Friendship Association on Thursday in Bangkok.

Highly valuing the contributions of Sanan in promoting the friendship and cooperation between the two nations, he expressed his delight about the diversity of the association’s members who are from different backgrounds and belong to different generations.

He suggested the association pay more attention to promoting tourism and images of Việt Nam and be creative with its activities and serve as a bridge for cooperation activities between the two countries.

President Phúc meets representatives of outstanding Vietnamese businesses in Thailand.

On this occasion, the President also thanked local authorities and the association for paying attention to and helping the Vietnamese-origin people in Thailand.

Sanan said the association is willing to serve as a bridge for the relation between Thailand and Việt Nam and will have more activities to enhance people-to-people exchanges, and push the cooperation in fields including economy, culture, education and tourism.

Some members of the association who are representatives of businesses investing in Việt Nam expressed their hope to continue to receive the support of Việt Nam when expanding their investment activities in the country. — VNS