Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam attaches great importance to fostering its Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with Malaysia in a stable, sustainable and long-term manner, Prime Minister Le Minh Hung said while receiving Malaysian Minister of Defence Mohamed Khaled bin Nordin in Hanoi on August 5.
PM Hung described the elevation of bilateral ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership during Party General Secretary To Lam's official visit to Malaysia in November 2024 as a historic milestone, opening up a new chapter in relations between the two countries.
Both host and guest expressed satisfaction with the positive development of Vietnam-Malaysia ties despite the increasingly complex regional and global situation. They noted growing political trust and expanding cooperation across culture, education, tourism and people-to-people exchanges, while affirming that both countries are active and responsible ASEAN members sharing a relationship of mutual trust.
PM Hung praised Malaysia's proactive role and significant contributions to promoting multilateral cooperation, particularly during its ASEAN Chairmanship in 2025, which has helped strengthen the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)'s solidarity and enhance the bloc's international standing. He expressed his hope that Malaysia would continue working closely with Vietnam and other member states to advance the ASEAN Community's goals.
Welcoming progress in bilateral defence cooperation in recent years, the PM affirmed the Vietnamese Government's support for closer collaboration between the two defence ministries. He expressed confidence that the minister's visit would inject fresh momentum into cooperation programmes, contributing to both defence ties and the broader Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
The Vietnamese leader proposed increasing the exchange of delegations at all levels, maintaining dialogue, consultation and information-sharing mechanisms, and expanding cooperation among the armed services. He also called for stronger collaboration in the defence industry, military medicine, search and rescue, United Nations peacekeeping operations, and maritime security and safety.
PM Hung suggested that maritime law enforcement agencies enhance information sharing and coordination, promptly assist each other's fishing vessels and fishermen in distress, and ensure the humane treatment of fishermen and fishing vessels that unintentionally violate each other's waters in the spirit of close bilateral relations and ASEAN solidarity.
He also welcomed the participation of leaders from the Malaysian Ministry of Defence and armed forces in the third Vietnam International Defence Expo, and encouraged Malaysian defence enterprises to showcase their products and technologies at the event.
For his part, Mohamed Khaled thanked PM Hung for the reception and congratulated him on his appointment. He praised Vietnam's socio-economic achievements, describing the country as one of the fastest-growing economies in Asia and ASEAN.
Affirming that Vietnam is a trusted friend of Malaysia and that the two countries share common strategic visions, the minister agreed with the PM's proposals and pledged to deepen defence cooperation with more substantive outcomes, particularly in the priority areas identified by the Vietnamese side.
The two sides also exchanged views on strengthening bilateral and regional cooperation to enhance resilience and improve responses to external challenges. They agreed that ASEAN defence ministries and armies play an important role in building trust, addressing common security challenges, and contributing to peace, stability and sustainable development in the region./.
