Bangkok (VNA) – The Vietnamese Foreign Ministry and its Thai counterpart convened the sixth political consultation in Bangkok on February 15, saying that cooperation activities in 2016 reinforced the countries’ strategic partnership.

The two delegations, led by Deputy Foreign Minister Dang Dinh Quy and Permanent Secretary of the Thai Foreign Ministry Busaya Mathelin, discussed and agreed on a number of measures to enhance bilateral ties, including exchanging delegations and working to increase trade to 20 billion USD by 2020.

Other measures were also devised to boost cooperation in security, defence, trade, investment, transport, labour, culture, tourism, education, and science-technology.

The officials agreed to resolve emerging issues in a fraternal spirit and promote the realization of an agreement on sending Vietnamese workers to Thailand in 2017.

Both sides will accelerate the opening of a coach route linking Thailand, Laos and Vietnam and a coastal route traversing Thailand, Cambodia and Viet Nam.

At the consultation, they lauded the two countries’ coordination at regional and international forums while exchanging views on regional and global matters of shared concern.

They agreed to make joint efforts to strengthen the solidarity of ASEAN and ensure the bloc’s central role in security and strategic issues in the region. The officials also committed to promoting peace, security and stability in the East Sea.

On this occasion, Busaya Mathelin thanked Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and a high-ranking delegation of Vietnam for paying their respects to Thailand’s late King Bhumibol Adulyadej.

Meeting with Deputy Minister Quy, Thai Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai expressed his delight at the outcomes of the consultation, adding that he wants the two sides to bolster collaboration. He also voiced his hope that ASEAN will have a common voice in important regional and international issues.

At another meeting, Quy and Apisak Sombutcharoennon – Director of the Centre for Strategic Studies under Thailand’s Defence Ministry – shared their views about the world and regional situation and agreed to step up the centre’s affiliation with research institutes in Viet Nam.