PM meets Japanese PM

KUALA LUMPUR, 21 (TNA) -- Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-ocha has held talks with his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe and both agreed that the two countries’ strategic partnership would become more significance following an implementation of ASEAN Economic Community (AEC), said a Thai deputy government spokesman. Their discussions were held Friday on the sidelines of the three-day 27th ASEAN Summit being held in the Malaysian city of Kuala Lumpur. The Summit ends Sunday. The deputy spokesman said the two government leaders agreed that the two countries’ strategic partnership would become a vital mechanism for regional development after the kick-off of AEC scheduled to start the end of this year. Thailand is prepared to cooperate with the Tokyo government in building connectivity with regional countries to enable fellow members of ASEAN to move forward together, Gen Prayuth told Mr Abe. The two premiers also discussed several other issues including Dawei special economic zone in Myanmar, said the deputy spokesman. Gen Prayuth thanked Mr Abe for his help in opening Japanese market for two new species of Thai mangoes while he pledged to assist in allowing Japanese beef and orange to enter the Thai market. On a planned four-day official visit to Japan by Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak between November 25 – 28 to explain the Thai government’s policy on special economic zones in the form of super clusters, Gen Prayuth told Mr Abe that he hoped that the visit would further strengthen bilateral economic cooperation. In response, Mr Abe expressed his satisfaction that the two countries would organise an economic meeting at a senior official level and welcomed on the Thai government showing interest on the US-initiated Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). Mr Abe said he wanted to see Thailand also joined TPP because it could help in further strengthening regional economy, the deputy spokesman added. (TNA)