Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnamese Deputy Minister ofForeign Affairs Nguyen Quoc Dung and Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs ofThailand Thani Thongphakdi exchanged views on cooperation between the twocountries and ministries, along with regional and international issues of sharedconcern, during their online talks on February 24.

Dung thanked the Thai government for facilitatingflights bringing Vietnamese citizens home, and supporting those who arestudying and living in Thailand.

He suggested Thailand limit trade barriers, exchange informationabout export-import regulations and procedures, and further support and closelycooperate with Vietnam in regional and international organisations and forums.

Thani congratulated Vietnam on thesuccessful organisation of the 13th National Congress of theCommunist Party of Vietnam, and its outstanding performance of the ASEAN Chairmanship2020.

Thailand attaches importance to and has worked to continuouslyconsolidate and strengthen the fine bilateral friendship, the official said.

Vietnam has become a model in the COVID-19 combat worldwide,he said, stressing that Thailand will continue its close coordination withVietnam in fighting the pandemic and reviving supply chains, as well as in theefforts to access safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines.

Thailand also backs initiatives put forth by Vietnam inits capacity as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council.

The two sides agreed to deepening the enhancedstrategic partnership between Vietnam and Thailand in an effective manner, increase the exchange of all-level visits, and maintain bilateral cooperationmechanisms.

Vietnam and Thailand will work together to organiseactivities celebrating the 45th anniversary of diplomatic ties this year, sign an action programme implementing the enhancedstrategic partnership, and a cooperation agreement between the two foreign ministriesfor 2021-2025.

They have also targeted a balanced trade and set a goal of 20 billion USD in bilateraltrade revenue a year in the coming time.

The two countries will continue their close collaborationwithin sub-regional cooperation frameworks, and in building the ASEANCommunity, and accelerating the ratification and implementation of the RegionalComprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement.

Regarding the East Sea issues, the officials sharedthe views that ASEAN needs to maintain its solidarity, common voice and centrality,while persistently pursuing agreed principles, and promoting the observance ofinternational law and the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)./.