(VNA) - Thailand’s media on Sunday featured the second Vietnam - Thailand joint cabinet retreat recently held in Hanoi, highlighting cooperation agreements and a goal of 18 billion USD in two-way trade by 2015.

PM Nguyen Tan Dung and PM Yingluck Shinawatra (Photo: Internet)

The press reported that the two countries signed a Joint Statement of the Vietnam-Thailand Cabinet Retreat, a Joint Statement on the Thailand-Vietnam Security Outlook for 2012-2016, and a memorandum of understanding on establishing Thailand - Vietnam and Vietnam-Thailand Business Councils. According to The Nation, Prime Ministers Nguyen Tan Dung and Yingluck Shinawatra discussed the possibility of upgrading Thai-Vietnamese relations to a strategic partnership, greater cooperation in rice exports, rubber, energy, oil, gas, and transportation, and closer links along the East-West Economic Corridor. Their discussion also included ASEAN unity, economic recession resolutions and natural disaster relief efforts. The two leaders agreed there should be more cooperation channels, not just bilateral or multi-party ones, but also at the ASEAN and global level. They agreed to set up joint committees to push forward the strategies.