Vietnam values and wishes to strongly promote relations with Malaysia.

National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man affirmed that Vietnam attaches importance to and wishes to strongly promote the strategic partnership with Malaysia to become increasingly deeper, more substantial, effective and concrete.

National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man and Speaker of the Malaysian House of Representatives Tan Sri Dato' Johari Bin Abdul at the welcoming ceremony. (Photo: Duy Linh)

At the invitation of National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man, Speaker of the Malaysian House of Representatives Tan Sri Dato' Johari Bin Abdul and his wife paid an official visit to Vietnam from October 22-25, 2024.

On the afternoon of October 23, at the National Assembly House, National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man chaired Official welcome ceremony Speaker of the Malaysian House of Representatives Tan Sri Dato' Johari Bin Abdul. After the welcoming ceremony, the two sides held talks.

National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man and his wife and Speaker of the Malaysian House of Representatives Tan Sri Dato' Johari Bin Abdu and his wife. (Photo: Duy Linh)

Welcoming the Speaker of the Malaysian House of Representatives and his wife on an official visit to Vietnam, National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man highly appreciated the visit at a time when the two countries are looking forward to celebrating the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the Strategic Partnership (2025); affirming that the visit contributes to consolidating and promoting the friendship and cooperation between the two countries in all fields and promoting the cooperation between the Vietnamese National Assembly and the Malaysian Parliament in a practical and effective manner.

The National Assembly Chairman was pleased to witness the increasingly positive and substantive development of the bilateral relationship over the past half century through all channels of the Party, State, people-to-people exchanges and in all fields. In recent times, the political relationship between the two countries has become increasingly close through cooperation and exchange of delegations at all levels and channels, including the National Assembly channel. The two countries have closely coordinated at regional and international forums such as ASEAN, the United Nations, APEC, etc.

Congratulating Malaysia on its many important achievements, the rapid development of the Malaysian economy, becoming one of the 27 most competitive economies in the world, National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man believes that the Malaysian House of Representatives will make many important contributions to the country's economic development in the coming time, improving people's lives, and consolidating Malaysia's role and position in the region and the world.

Speaker of the Malaysian House of Representatives Tan Sri Dato' Johari Bin Abdul expressed his gratitude for the warm welcome that the Vietnamese National Assembly gave to the delegation; said that the Malaysian people always admire the heroic country and people of Vietnam in the past struggle for national independence as well as in the current national construction and development; clearly stated that Vietnam and Malaysia are an important part of ASEAN, striving to work together to develop the economy, share achievements in science, technology, energy, etc.

Speaker of the Malaysian House of Representatives Tan Sri Dato' Johari Bin Abdul and delegates visit the Traditional Hall of the Vietnamese National Assembly. (Photo: Duy Linh)

National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man thanked the Speaker of the Malaysian House of Representatives for his good feelings towards the country and people of Vietnam; affirmed that Vietnam attaches importance to and wishes to strongly promote the Strategic Partnership with Malaysia to become increasingly deeper, more substantial, effective, and concrete, aiming to elevate the bilateral relationship to a new height; emphasized that the Vietnamese National Assembly is ready to create all favorable conditions for cooperation between the two countries.

Believing that the potential for trade and tourism development between Vietnam and Malaysia is still huge, the National Assembly Chairman suggested that the two countries strengthen cooperation in the fields of investment, technology, tourism, trade, and energy, thereby expanding trade space and maximizing the comparative advantages of each side.

In order to further strengthen the strategic partnership between the two countries, the National Assembly Chairman suggested that Malaysia continue to promote the exchange of high-level delegations and all levels, effectively implement existing cooperation mechanisms and agreements, contributing to strengthening strategic trust between the two countries; soon bring bilateral trade turnover to 18 billion USD in a balanced direction; facilitate import and export and limit the application of trade barriers.

The two sides will support training for Vietnamese localities and enterprises on the production process and Halal certification; facilitate the import of these products from Vietnam; strive to soon sign a cooperation agreement in the Halal field in the near future; research and open more direct flights connecting famous destinations between the two countries, contributing to promoting trade and tourism; promote cooperation programs on training and human resource development in areas where both sides have strengths and needs such as science, technology, information technology, economics, and education management.

View of the meeting at the National Assembly House. (Photo: Duy Linh)

Appreciating Malaysia's viewpoints and policies in handling the East Sea issue, National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man said that the two sides need to coordinate with ASEAN countries to maintain ASEAN's stance on the East Sea issue, promote full implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC); negotiate an effective, substantive Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC) in accordance with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

Regarding the relationship between the Vietnamese National Assembly and the Malaysian Parliament, National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man was pleased to see that the relationship between the Vietnamese National Assembly and the Malaysian Parliament continues to be consolidated and enhanced both bilaterally and within the framework of international and regional inter-parliamentary forums of which both sides are members, most recently at the 45th AIPA General Assembly.

In the coming time, the National Assembly Chairman suggested that the two sides study and promote the signing of a cooperation agreement between the Vietnamese National Assembly and the Malaysian House of Representatives and Senate, creating a basis for the two sides to promote and deepen cooperation between the legislative bodies of the two countries.

Welcoming Malaysia for establishing the “Malaysia-Vietnam Friendship Association” in 2022, the National Assembly Chairman hoped that the Malaysian House of Representatives would continue to pay attention, help, and create favorable conditions for the Vietnamese community in Malaysia to live, do business, work, and study, contributing positively to the development of Malaysia and serving as a bridge for the relationship between the two countries. At the same time, continue to create a favorable legal corridor for the two governments to effectively implement signed cooperation agreements, especially the effective implementation of the Action Program to implement the strategic partnership between the two countries for the period 2021-2025.

National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man speaks at the meeting. (Photo: Duy Linh)

National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man proposed to increase high-level and all-level contacts between parliamentarians of the two countries and the two Friendship Parliamentary Groups to exchange professional experience in the field of legislation, supervision and decision-making on important issues of the country; he hoped that the Malaysian Parliament, in its role as AIPA Chair 2025, would continue to promote strong cooperation within AIPA, contributing to deepening the relationship between ASEAN parliaments and creating a space for effective and substantive dialogue on important regional issues.

The National Assembly Chairman also proposed to strengthen cooperation between the Office of the Vietnamese National Assembly and the Secretariat of the Malaysian House of Representatives, especially in the fields of training and fostering officials, exchanging experiences in research, general consulting and organizing to serve the activities of the Parliament.

The Speaker of the Malaysian House of Representatives acknowledged the proposals of National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man; affirmed that he will make efforts to coordinate with Vietnam to promote the early resolution of issues in the spirit of the strategic partnership between the two countries; and respectfully invited National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man and senior leaders of Vietnam to visit and attend ASEAN and AIPA Summits in the year Malaysia assumes the ASEAN and AIPA Chair 2025.

Speaker of the Malaysian House of Representatives Tan Sri Dato' Johari Bin Abdul speaks at the meeting. (Photo: Duy Linh)

Earlier, on the same morning, Speaker of the Malaysian House of Representatives Tan Sri Dato' Johari Bin Abdul and his wife, along with the Malaysian House of Representatives delegation, visited the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and the special national relic of the Temple of Literature - Quoc Tu Giam.

On the same evening, National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man hosted an official reception for Malaysian House of Representatives Speaker Tan Sri Dato' Johari Bin Abdul and his wife, along with the Malaysian House of Representatives delegation, on an official visit to Vietnam.

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