Vietnam and Malaysia move to develop sustainable cross-border business

Opportunities to strengthen trade, investment and business partnerships between the two countries were discussed at a CEO forum, themed “Doing Business with Malaysia”, hosted by the Malaysian Embassy in Hanoi on October 28.

Economic ties between the two countries have continued to develop positively following 53 years of diplomatic relations, participants said. Bilateral trade in the first nine months of 2026 exceeded the total recorded for the whole of 2025. Investment cooperation continued to expand, creating further opportunities for businesses on both sides.

Malaysia is seeking to strengthen its regional role and enhance its economic resilience and long-term sustainability. Vietnam, meanwhile, aims to become a developed, high-income country by 2045. The two economies have complementary strengths that could support cooperation in semiconductors, digital infrastructure, renewable energy, the halal industry and artificial intelligence.

Leveraging existing cooperation frameworks, supportive regulatory environments and complementary capabilities could help the two countries develop a sustainable cross-border business ecosystem and strengthen their competitiveness in international markets.

Speaking at the forum, Malaysian Ambassador to Vietnam Jamal Sharifuddin Johan welcomed Vietnam’s economic reforms, including efforts to improve the business environment, facilitate investment and enhance the country’s international standing.

Building on the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the two countries and ASEAN centrality, Malaysia and Vietnam could help make the region a safe, stable and competitive hub for trade and investment, he said.

He also reaffirmed the Malaysian Government’s and its economic agencies’ commitment to deepening bilateral cooperation and making the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership toward more substantive and effective.

During a panel discussion, business representatives from Vietnam and Malaysia shared practical experience in energy, banking, logistics and real estate. They also explored investment opportunities, potential partnerships and prospects for implementing cross-border projects.

Vietnam, Malaysia see potential for smart agriculture cooperation

Malaysia is accelerating the transformation of its agricultural sector from traditional, labour-intensive farming towards high-tech agriculture under its National Agrofood Policy 2.0 (NAP 2.0), creating new opportunities for strategic cooperation with Vietnam in agricultural technology.