Delegates at the signing cooperation agreement ceremony between Quang Tri's Department of Foreign Affairs and the Thai Business Association in Vietnam. (Photo: VNA)

Quang Tri - A conference to boost trade cooperation between Vietnam and Thailand as well as between Quang Tri and Thai localities was held in the central province of Quang Tri from August 3-4.

“Meet Thailand”, the first of its kind, was organised by the provincial People’s Committee, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Thai Embassy in Vietnam to mark the 47th founding anniversary of diplomatic relations (1976-2023) and 10 years of strategic partnership between Vietnam and Thailand.

Addressing the event, Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Vo Van Hung said the province has always paid attention to expanding regional connectivity to promote advantages of localities along the East-West Economic Corridor.

Hung acknowledged that Quang Tri and Thailand’s Mukdahan provinces established their friendship relations nearly 20 years ago. The ties are expected to be strengthened and elevated in the time ahead.

Besides, a Memorandum of Understanding on establishing friendship relations between Quang Tri and Ubon Ratchathani provinces is scheduled to sign in 2023, thereby opening up new opportunities and development steps in their ties, he said.

Hung noted that the event was a forum for localities and businesses of both sides to exchange and seek investment cooperation. Quang Tri will create the most favourable conditions for Thai investors investing in the province, especially in the areas of industry, tourism, hi-tech agriculture, port and logistics services, among others.

For his part, Thai Ambassador to Vietnam Nikorndej Balankura revealed that the event shared ideas about renewable energy and hi-tech agriculture as well as orientations in bolstering supply chain through the East-West Economic Corridor, hence lifting Thailand and Vietnam’s roles in the cooperative framework of the Greater Mekong Subregion and the Ayeyawady - Chao Phraya - Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy (ACMECS).

The ambassador also expected that the event will enhance connectivity between Thailand and Vietnam in various fields, thus creating momentum for the two countries to reach their trade target of 25 billion USD by 2025 and helping Thailand to become the fifth biggest investor in Vietnam in 2024.

Several activities were held during the two-day event, including a display of photos of culture, tourism, investment promotion and outstanding products of Quang Tri, and fact-finding tours of economic and cultural establishment in the province, and business-to-business matching sessions between Vietnamese and Thai businesses.