Malaysia, Vietnam upgrade relations to comprehensive strategic partnership

At the event, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim underlined the significance of the Vietnamese Party leader’s three-day visit marked by the upgrade of the relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

The two sides consent to step up cooperation in a variety of fields, including security, defence, maritime affairs, electricity, and digital economy.
PM Anwar noted that many Malaysian businesses are currently investing and operating successfully in Vietnam and voiced his hope that Vietnam will continue to facilitate Malaysian investments there and support Malaysia in its role as ASEAN Chair in 2025.

The two sides have collaborated in several oil and gas projects and both desire to bolster cooperation in fisheries on the basis of mutual trust and friendship, he continued.

Anwar also expressed his admiration for Vietnam's heroic history in its struggle for national independence and its tremendous achievements across multiple fields in recent years.

In his speech, the Vietnamese Party chief said the two sides committed to maintaining mutual support for each country's development path and consolidating and reinforcing their friendly relations and political trust grounded in respect for international law, independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity, and political systems, in accordance with each nation's socio-economic conditions, laws, and regulations, as well as the principle of non-interference in each other's internal affairs.

The Party leader stressed that the core pillars of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership include fostering mutual trust and cooperation in politics, defence and security, establishing a solid foundation for the relations, and contributing to a peaceful, stable environment for development through enhanced delegation exchanges and collaboration at all levels and on various channels; and effectively implementing existing dialogue and cooperation mechanisms, and considering the establishment of new frameworks matching the needs and interests of the two sides in the new context.

Both sides will strive to elevate the bilateral trade turnover to US$18 billion and even higher in a balanced and mutually beneficial fashion, while working together to boost cooperation in the Halal industry and encouraging their businesses to expand investment in the respective markets, To Lam said.

The two sides pledged to ensure mutual benefits from oil and gas collaboration and take into consideration the formation of a cooperative development mechanism in overlapping areas, if applicable. They concurred to ramp up  cooperation in emerging sectors like digital economy, innovation, science-technology, digital transformation, and green energy, and other crucial realms such as education-training, human resource development, labour, culture, sports, tourism, and people-to-people exchange in order to achieve sustainable development goals.

They agreed to actively support each other and closely coordinate in regional and international issues, for peace, security, and stability, especially at multilateral forums, including ASEAN, the United Nations, the Non-Aligned Movement, and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC).

They will also work to promote ASEAN’s growth and transformation, aiming to realise the ASEAN Community Vision 2045 and beyond, along with strengthening sub-regional cooperation and connectivity, particularly in the Mekong sub-region.

Lam underscored joint commitments to continuing with close coordination in maintaining peace, security, stability, and the freedom of navigation and overflight in the East Sea, resolving disputes peacefully, and refraining from threats or the use of force in accordance with widely recognized principles of international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

He called on all relevant parties to exercise restraint and avoid activities that could escalate tensions and undermine peace and stability in the region, to fully and effectively implement the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC), and to soon adopt a substantive, effective Code of Conduct (COC) in the East Sea in accordance with international law, including the 1982 UNCLOS.

The affirmed Vietnam’s continued support for Malaysia’s ASEAN Chairmanship in 2025 and reiterated the country’s commitment to closely coordinating with Malaysia and other ASEAN member states to realize the ASEAN Community Vision 2025.

The Party chief said he believes that the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership will open a new chapter in the bilateral ties, for peace, stability, sustainable and inclusive development, and shared prosperity, as well as for a united, self-reliant, and prosperous ASEAN Community.

On this occasion, Party General Secretary To Lam and PM Anwar witnessed the exchange a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on boosting trade promotion between the Vietnam Trade Promotion Agency and the Malaysian External Trade Development Corporation, and another on renewable energy cooperation between the Vietnam Oil and Gas Group (Petrovietnam) and Malaysia’s oil and gas company (Petronas).