Hanoi, May 16 -- Vietnam and Thailand on May 16 issued a joint statement on the elevation of their relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership on the occasion of Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra's visit to Vietnam.

Following is the full text of the joint statement.JOINT STATEMENT ON THE ELEVATION TO A COMPREHENSIVE STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN VIET NAM AND THAILAND

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1. Since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1976, Viet Nam and Thailand have built a strong and broad relationship based on mutual trust and understanding. The Viet Nam - Thailand Strategic Partnership, announced in 2013, has supported the deepening of ties across all areas of the bilateral relationship and brought practical benefits to t...