Malaysian Prime Minister Dato’ Sri Ismail Sabri bin Yaakob at the meeting with PM Pham Minh Chinh. Photo: VNA

Malaysian Prime Minister Dato’ Sri Ismail Sabri bin Yaakob was welcomed to Vietnam at a ceremony at the Presidential Palace in Hanoi on March 21 chaired by PM Pham Minh Chinh. Following the welcome ceremony, the two PMs held talks, reported VNA.

During the talks, the two leaders affirmed their consensus on orientations to promote the bilateral cooperation across all fields for socio-economic recovery and development in the post-pandemic period, including increasing the exchange of high-ranking delegations and at all levels, optimising bilateral cooperation mechanism, particularly the Joint Committee for Economic, Scientific and Technological Cooperation; well implementing the action programme for the strategic partnership during the 2021-25; and stepping up people-to-people exchanges and holding activities marking the 50th founding anniversary of diplomatic ties next year.

The leaders shared the view that economic, trade and investment cooperation has been a bright spot in the bilateral ties, and the two countries hold substantial potential to advance their partnership in those fields.

They agreed to work to raise two-way trade to USD 18 billion or even higher by 2025, and step up the trading of goods of their strength such as agricultural and aquatic products, Halal products and electronic components.

The two sides will also study the building of a mechanism on information sharing regarding trade remedies.

Both welcomed the mutual recognition of Covid-19 vaccine passports, which will facilitate the travelling of the two countries’ people.

Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh (right) and his Malaysian counterpart Dato’ Sri Ismail Sabri bin Yaakob. Photo: VNA

Following their talks, the PMs witnessed the exchange of a number of cooperation documents, including an MoU on recruitment, employment and repatriation of labourers, and another on legal cooperation between the Vietnamese and Malaysian governments, along with a cooperation agreement between the Vietnam News Agency and Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama), and a letter of intent on cooperation between the two Diplomatic Academies of the two Foreign Ministries.

The Malaysian PM has met Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, President Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Chairman of the National Assembly Vuong Dinh Hue on the same day.

Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong (R) receives Malaysian Prime Minister Dato’ Sri Ismail Sabri bin Yaakob in Hanoi on March 21. Photo: VOV

On the same day, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee Nguyen Phu Trong received Malaysian PM in a meeting, describing the latter's official visit to Vietnam as a milestone in bilateral ties.

The Party leader affirmed Vietnam’s consistent policy of treasuring and reinforcing the strategic partnership with Malaysia.

He asked the two sides to bring into play the obtained outcomes, improve the effectiveness of cooperation mechanisms, including relations between their political parties, step up bilateral connections as well as cooperation within ASEAN and regional and international forums.

Regarding the East Sea, the Party leader suggested Vietnam and Malaysia jointly and actively consolidate peace and cooperation in the East Sea in order to ensure the rights and legitimate interests of the parties under the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

In that spirit, he recommended the two countries to increase viewpoint exchange and maritime cooperation in different fields, thereby together maintaining peace, stability, cooperation, and development in the region.

The Malaysian PM stressed Malaysia attaches importance to its strategic partnership with Vietnam, adding his country hopes the two sides will strengthen links in economy, trade, investment, and people-to-people exchange, and that it is ready to step up tourism and maritime cooperation to tap into potential of both nations.

PM Ismail Sabri agreed to enhance party-to-party relations via mutual visits, especially at the high-ranking level, and exchanges between parties’ organisations so as to share experience.

President Nguyen Xuan Phuc (R) and visiting Malaysian Prime Minister Dato’ Sri Ismail Sabri bin Yaakob. Photo: VNA

In their meeting, President Nguyen Xuan Phuc has recommended Vietnam and Malaysia capitalise on free trade agreements of which both are members, particularly the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).

He made the recommendation while hosting visiting Malaysian PM, who informed him of key outcomes of talks with his Vietnamese counterpart Pham Minh Chinh.

Accordingly, the two PMs agreed to boost cooperation in all fields, particularly economy, trade, investment, and labour; effectively implement the action plan to realise the nations’ strategic partnership for 2021-2025; and co-organise activities to mark 50 years of the Vietnam-Malaysia diplomatic relations.

Phuc said he appreciates the results of the substantive talks and the documents signed by the two sides on this occasion, helping to create more legal basis for bilateral cooperation.

The President commended the fact that the two sides have agreed in principle to recognise each other's vaccine certificates, creating favourable conditions for travel and trade between the countries.

The State leader suggested Vietnam and Malaysia step up cooperation in building the circular economy within the framework of the ASEAN Economic Community for mutual recovery and development.

Phuc wished that the two sides continued to support and cooperate actively at the UN, APEC, ASEAN and regional and international forums.

Joining other ASEAN member states to strengthen the bloc’s solidarity, promote its centrality, and build a prosperous and strong ASEAN Community is also necessary, he noted.

Phuc also sent his best wishes to and invited the Malaysian King to visit Vietnam in an appropriate time in the future. Meanwhile, the Malaysian PM conveyed the king’s invitation to the Vietnamese leader to soon make a State-level visit to Malaysia.

National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue (L) and Malaysian Prime Minister Dato’ Sri Ismail Sabri bin Yaakob. Photo: NDO

In the meeting with NA Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue, Ismail Sabri pledged to prioritise enhancing cooperation between Malaysia and Vietnam in order to fully open their doors, recover and step up socio-economic development by effectively implementing the action programme on the deployment of the Malaysia-Vietnam strategic partnership in the 2021-2025 period and enhancing ties in the fields of new growth driving forces such as green economy, digital economy and digital transformation.

The Malaysian PM expressed his wish to welcome NA Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue on an official visit to Malaysia at an appropriate time.

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