Vietnam, Malaysia eye stronger strategic partnership
Hanoi (VNA) – Malaysia attaches importance to
and desires to develop a strategic partnership with Vietnam, Malaysian Minister of Foreign Affairs Senator Zambry Abdul
Kadir stated.
Zambry Abdul Kadir and his Vietnamese counterpart Bui Thanh Son co-chaired the 7th meeting of the Joint Commission for Economic, Scientific, and Technical
Cooperation between the two countries as part of his official visit to Vietnam on July 19-20.
FM Son said that the visit is an important
event on the threshold of Malaysia Prime Minister Anwar
Ibrahim’s official visit to Vietnam, and on the
occasion of the 50th anniversary of Vietnam-Malaysia diplomatic ties this year.
During the 7th meeting of the Joint
Commission for Economic, Scientific, and Technical Cooperation, the two sides
focused on reviewing and evaluating the implementation of agreements signed by senior
leaders of the two countries, including the Action Programme on carrying out the
Vietnam-Malaysia strategic partnership in the 2021 – 2025 period.
They agreed to propose some major orientations
to the two nations’ PMs in a bid to promote the strategic
partnership in the coming time.
Accordingly, the two sides will boost coordination to intensify exchange of visits and meetings at all levels and across
all channels, as well as people-to-people exchanges; and expand defence and security
cooperation.
The two countries will strive to lift two-way
trade to 18 billion USD soon in a more balanced direction, limiting the application
of trade barriers, and capitalizing on opportunities from regional trade
agreements that both sides participate in such as the Regional Comprehensive
Economic Partnership (RCEP) and the Comprehensive and Progressive
Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).
They agreed to step up cooperation in other
important fields such as marine technology, oil and gas, education and
training, labour, transportation, culture, sports, tourism and cooperation
among localities; and in new areas such as the digital economy, artificial
intelligence (AI), and renewable energy.
They will work together to accelerate the
signing of cooperation documents, including a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)
on cooperation in training diplomatic staff.
The officials compared notes on international and
regional issues of common concern, and agreed to continue to closely coordinate
and actively support each other at multilateral forums. They affirmed the two countries’ readiness to
join other ASEAN member states in maintaining solidarity and ASEAN's central
role in dealing with strategic issues in the region.
The two FMs agreed on the content of the
Minutes of the 7th joint commission's meeting and concurred to hold the 8th
session at a convenient time for both sides in Malaysia in 2025.
The Malaysian official took the occasion to invite FM Bui
Thanh Son to pay an official visit to Malaysia at an appropriate time./.