Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son (R) and Second Minister of Foreign Affairs of Brunei Dato Pehin Erywan Yusof. (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui ThanhSon met with Second Minister of Foreign Affairs of Brunei Dato Pehin ErywanYusof in Hanoi on April 23, as the latter has been in Vietnam to attend the ASEAN Future Forum 2024.
Both officials expressed their delight at the positive development of the Vietnam-Brunei Comprehensive Partnership over the past time and agreed to facilitate all-levelvisits in the coming time, with a particular focus on preparations for the Vietnam visit bythe Sultan of Brunei.
Theyalso concurred on the importance of soon convening the third session of the Vietnam-BruneiJoint Commission for Bilateral Cooperation to review the overall bilateralrelationship, and ensure the effective implementation of the agreements reachedduring Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s official visit to Brunei in February2023, particularly the Action Plan on the implementation of the Vietnam-Brunei Comprehensive Partnership in the 2023-2027 period.
Inaddition to accelerating the effective implementation of four key areas,including oil and gas, chemicals, Halal products, tourism and people-to-peopleexchange, Son proposed Brunei work closely on implementing bilateral agreementson food security and promptly finalise new deals in agriculture, fisheries, finance,trade, economy, investment and education.
Agreeingwith Son’s proposals, Yusof suggested enhancing cooperation in potentialareas such as oil and gas, agriculture, and tourism, including the "6countries, 1 destination" initiative. Both sides also vowed to strengthencooperation in other important areas such as national defence, education,increasing the number of scholarships, and short-term student exchanges.
On global and regional issues of shared concern, they affirmed support for Laos as it assumesthe ASEAN Chairmanship in 2024. Theyalso vowed to hasten the ASEAN Community Vision 2045, fostering ASEAN'ssolidarity and central role in addressing regional issues, includingmaintaining its common stance on the East Sea issue and promoting theimplementation of ASEAN's Five-Point Consensus on the Myanmar issue.
ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn (L) and Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son. (Photo: VNA) At aworking session with ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn on the same day, Son suggested the ASEAN Secretariat further enhance itseffectiveness in supporting member countries, increase research andforecasting efforts, improve inter-sectoral and inter-pillar coordination,and pool resources for the Secretariat's activities.
Kaoexpressed support for Vietnam's stance on strengthening broader and moresubstantive dialogue relations between ASEAN and its partners.
He also pledged to collaborate with Vietnam tosuccessfully conclude its term as coordinator for ASEAN-Republic of Korea relations andassume its new roles as coordinator for ASEAN-UK and ASEAN-New Zealandrelations./.
