Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah receives Vietnamese Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son (left) on September 7. Photo: The World & Vietnam Report

Speaking highly of Son’s visit, the Sultan asked the minister to convey his wishes and regards to high-ranking Vietnamese leaders, VietnamPlus reported.

The host congratulated Vietnam on its major achievements in socio-economic development, as well as its improving position and role in the region.

For his part, Son also conveyed wishes and regards of Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, President Nguyen Xuan Phuc, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue to the Sultan.

He congratulated Brunei on the attainments the country has reaped in Covid-19 prevention and control and successful ASEAN chairmanship in 2021, expressing his belief that Brunei will successfully implement its 2035 Vision, becoming a dynamic, sustainable economy with a higher position in the region and the world.

The minister informed the Sultan about outcomes of the second meeting of the Joint Commission for Bilateral Cooperation (JCBC-2), saying he and Second Minister of Foreign Affairs of Brunei Dato Erywan Pehin Yusof reviewed cooperation between the two sides and set out orientations for the time ahead.

The Sultan pledged to instruct Brunei's ministries and agencies to coordinate with the Vietnamese side to implement the results of JCBC-2, while enhancing the comprehensive partnership in an effective and practical manner, bringing pragmatic interests to people of the two countries.

Second meeting of the Joint Commission for Bilateral Cooperation

Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son and Second Minister of Foreign Affairs of Brunei Dato Erywan Pehin Yusof. Photo: The World & Vientam Report

At the meeting, Son and Yusof agreed to accelerate the building of an action programme implementing the comprehensive partnership for 2023-2027, arrange visits by leaders, materialise signed agreements, extend the memorandum of understanding (MoU) on agriculture and fishery, and coordinate to cope with traditional and non-traditional security challenges, including trans-national organised crime, cyber crime and terrorism.

They will also step up negotiations of cooperation documents in such areas as the transfer of sentenced persons and crime combat.

The two sides will encourage their businesses to step up connectivity, diversify the supply and trade structure and seek investment opportunities, especially in potential areas like agriculture-fishery, forestry, energy-oil-gas and processing industry, contributing to ensuring food security and production chain.

To promote balanced trade, Son suggested Brunei facilitate the penetration of Vietnamese goods, especially rice and agricultural and aquatic products that meet Halal standards, into the market.

At the second meeting of the joint commission. Photo: The World & Vietnam Report

The minister expressed his hope that Brunei will soon ratify the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), contributing to creating cooperation opportunities between the two countries.

The Brunei minister highly valued Vietnam’s potential and experience in agriculture, aquaculture and construction, and asked Vietnam to share its experience and encourage businesses of the two countries to cooperate in these fields.

The two ministers also consented to step up cooperation in education and people-to-people exchange between the two countries and within the framework of ASEAN, diversify tourism activities, and encourage carriers to consider opening more direct air routes, and promote cooperation between universities.

They agreed to continue closely cooperating with each other, promoting ASEAN's common principles and stances on relations with partners, as well as in the Myanmar and East Sea issues; step up the implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (Bien Dong Sea) (DOC) and closely coordinate in negotiations on an effective and efficient Code of Conduct (COC) in accordance with international law and the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)./.

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