Ho Chi Minh City (VNA) – Ho Chi Minh City attaches great importance to the Vietnam-Malaysia relations and practical cooperation between the southern metropolis and Malaysia, said Tran Ngoc Son, Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City chapter of the Vietnam-Malaysia Friendship Association.
Speaking at a gathering marking the 69th National Day of Malaysia (August 31, 1957-2026) and Malaysia Day (September 16), Son said that the Vietnam-Malaysia partnership has been strongly promoted for more than half a century, since the establishment of diplomatic relations, achieving important results across various fields.
High-level exchanges and contacts have continued, while cooperation mechanisms have been maintained, he noted, adding that economic, trade and investment cooperation has served as both a pillar and a driving force for bilateral relations.
Over the years, with guidance and support from the Ho Chi Minh City Union of Friendship Organisations, the Vietnam-Malaysia Friendship Association has worked to organise a range of meaningful annual activities, including celebrations of Malaysia's National Day and Malaysia Day, Malaysia Week programmes, and seminars and business networking events between Vietnamese and Malaysian enterprises. These activities have provided local people with opportunities to gain a deeper understanding of Malaysia's economy, culture and society, contributing to greater appreciation of each other's values and strengthening the friendship between the two peoples.
The association’s leader affirmed that, building on achievements already made, it will continue to serve as a bridge and work closely with the Consulate General of Malaysia in Ho Chi Minh City to organise more diverse and practical people-to-people exchange activities, contributing to deepening the traditional friendship between the two peoples.
Firdauz Bin Othman, Consul General of Malaysia in Ho Chi Minh City thanked the Ho Chi Minh City Union of Friendship Organisations for organising the meaningful event, and highlighted the significance of Malaysia's National Day to the country's development.
He affirmed that since Vietnam and Malaysia upgraded their ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in November 2024, bilateral cooperation has expanded beyond traditional areas such as politics, security, the economy and coordination within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
According to the diplomat, two-way trade between Malaysia and Vietnam reached 21.59 billion USD in 2025, up 19%, affirming Vietnam's position as one of Malaysia's most important trading partners.
Cooperation in tourism and education has also been growing robustly, he said, adding that Malaysian investment in Ho Chi Minh City currently stands at about 6.1 billion USD, mainly in banking and real estate.
The Malaysian Consul General pledged to continue coordinating with the Ho Chi Minh City Union of Friendship Organisations and the Vietnam-Malaysia Friendship Association in people-to-people diplomacy activities, contributing to deeper, more sustainable and successful friendship and cooperation between Malaysia and Vietnam./.
