Japan and Thailand on Thursday adopted a new economic partnership plan ranging from digital trade and e-commerce to quality infrastructure development in an effort to further enhance bilateral ties.
The "Five-Year Joint Action Plan on Japan-Thailand Strategic Economic Partnership" was signed between Japan's Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi and his Thai counterpart Don Pramudwinai during a meeting in Bangkok.
The two governments struck the new partnership to better respond to common challenges, such as the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, energy and food security, and supply chain disruptions, according to the document.
The action plan calls for bilateral cooperation in space, science and technology, environment and energy for carbon neutrality, health care and medical industry development, smart cities and quality tourism.
The two sides vowed to co-create economic relations as "equal partners" by charting a new course for cooperation toward a more resilient and sustainable future.
The Japanese Foreign Ministry quoted Hayashi as telling Don that Japan will further develop economic ties with Thailand.
About 6,000 Japanese companies operate in Thailand, and Japan's foreign direct investment accounts for a third of the total accumulated FDI into the Southeast Asian country.
Don, who also serves as deputy prime minister, was quoted as saying Thailand would like to upgrade bilateral relations in line with the new partnership plan.
