NA always treasures Vietnam-Malaysia strategic partnership: Top legislator

Hanoi (VNA) – The National Assembly of Vietnam has always attached great importance to and actively contributed to the stronger development of the Vietnam-Malaysia strategic partnership, said NA Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue.

While receiving Malaysian Prime Minister Dato’ Sri Ismail Sabri bin Yaakob in Hanoi on March 21, Hue said the Malaysian PM’s first visit to Vietnam would help create momentum to further promote and deepen the strategic partnership between the two countries.

The bilateral relationship is now at its best ever, he said, adding that cooperative ties have been developed and expanded both intensively and extensively, especially in such fields as politics, security, national defence, economy, trade, investment and labour.

The top legislator spoke highly of the outcomes of the earlier talks between PM Ismail Sabri and his Vietnamese counterpart Pham Minh Chinh, as well as the signing of new agreements between Vietnam and Malaysia, including agreements on labour and legal cooperation.

He suggested the two governments soon carry out cooperation measures in a bid to recover together and boost socio-economic development.

The NA Chairman also proposed the Malaysian Government continue create favourable conditions for Vietnamese guest workers in Malaysia.

The parliaments of Vietnam and Malaysia should discuss towards signing a cooperation agreement, and increase the exchange of delegations and exchanges between parliamentarians in order to share experience in law-making and enhance mutual understanding and trust, Hue said.

Ismail Sabri affirmed that Malaysia has always paid due attention to further strengthening and developing its strategic partnership with Vietnam, and highly evaluated the two parliaments’ role in promoting cooperative relations between the two countries.

He pledged to prioritise enhancing cooperation between Malaysia and Vietnam in order to fully open their doors, recover and step up socio-economic development by effectively implementing the action programme on the deployment of the Malaysia-Vietnam strategic partnership in the 2021-2025 period and enhancing ties in the fields of new growth driving forces such as green economy, digital economy and digital transformation.

The PM also highly appreciated the close cooperation between the Malaysian and Vietnamese parliaments at multilateral parliamentary forums like the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA), the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum (APPF).

Regarding the East Sea, Hue suggested Vietnam and Malaysia jointly reinforce peace and cooperation in the East Sea in order to ensure the legitimate rights and interests of the concerned parties in line with the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). The two countries should increase viewpoint exchange and maritime cooperation, thereby together maintaining peace, stability, cooperation, and development in the region, he said.

On this occasion, Hue asked the PM to convey his invitations to the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President of the Senate of Malaysia to visit Vietnam when conditions allow.

The Malaysian PM expressed his wish to welcome NA Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue on an official visit to Malaysia at an appropriate time./.