Vietnam’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh (R) and Malaysia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Anifah Aman co-chair the fifth meeting of the Vietnam-Malaysia Joint Committee for Economic, Scientific and Technological Cooperation (Photo: VNA)Under the co-chair of Vietnam’s Deputy PrimeMinister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh and Malaysia’s Minister of ForeignAffairs Anifah Aman, the two sides stressed they attach great importance to eachother’s role and position in the region and share the common vision onintra-bloc and inter-regional cooperation.
The two sides affirmed theywill work together to build a strong ASEAN Community with solidarity and tomaintain peace, stability, security and development in the region.
Regarding political cooperation, Vietnam andMalaysia agreed to increase mutual visits at all levels between their Parties,Governments, States and parliaments, as well as promote people-to-people exchanges.
The two sides will research how to expandcooperation between the two ruling parties and coordinate to make goodpreparations for the State visit to Malaysia by Vietnamese Party GeneralSecretary Nguyen Phu Trong in 2018 and organise activities to celebrate the45th anniversary of diplomatic ties next year.
The two sides particularly highlighted economiccooperation as a bright point in the bilateral relationship.
Regarding political cooperation, Vietnam andMalaysia agreed to increase mutual visits at all levels between their Parties,Governments, States and parliaments, as well as promote people-to-people exchanges.
The two sides will research how to expandcooperation between the two ruling parties and coordinate to make goodpreparations for the State visit to Malaysia by Vietnamese Party GeneralSecretary Nguyen Phu Trong in 2018 and organise activities to celebrate the45th anniversary of diplomatic ties next year.
The two sides particularly highlighted economiccooperation as a bright point in the bilateral relationship.
Malaysia is currently theseventh biggest trade partner and investor of Vietnam with two-way tradereaching 8.4 billion USD in 2016. Malaysian investment in Vietnam amounted to 12billion USD as of the end of May this year.
They concurred to boost trade andinvestment promotion activities to facilitate goods exchange and investmentflow.
Malaysia pledged to assistVietnamese producers of agro-fisheries products in meeting quality and hygienestandards to export to the Malaysian market.
The two countries will encourage the Vietnam Oiland Gas Group (PetroVietnam) and Malaysia’s National Oil Company Inc.(Petronas) to explore opportunities for bilateral and multilateral cooperation.
Given the rising traditional and non-traditionalsecurity challenges, the two countries agreed to push cooperation in securityand defense, and share information and policies in the field.
They consented to forge ahead with negotiations forthe signing of cooperation agreements on fighting human trafficking,extradition and the transfer of convicted persons to improve the legalframework in crime prevention and combat.
Sea and ocean cooperation was also high on the meeting’sagenda, with Deputy PM and FM Pham Binh Minh hailing Malaysia for handlingissues relating to Vietnamese fishermen and vessels based on the friendshipbetween the two countries and supporting Vietnamese ships in distress.
Minister Anifah Aman said Malaysian competentagencies will continue sharing information with Vietnam to fight pirate,provide search and rescue, and consider the establishment of a hot line andjoint patrols between the two countries’ naval forces. Malaysian will alsoconsider negotiating with Vietnam’s marine police on a cooperation agreement.
The two countries will encourage the Vietnam Oiland Gas Group (PetroVietnam) and Malaysia’s National Oil Company Inc.(Petronas) to explore opportunities for bilateral and multilateral cooperation.
Given the rising traditional and non-traditionalsecurity challenges, the two countries agreed to push cooperation in securityand defense, and share information and policies in the field.
They consented to forge ahead with negotiations forthe signing of cooperation agreements on fighting human trafficking,extradition and the transfer of convicted persons to improve the legalframework in crime prevention and combat.
Sea and ocean cooperation was also high on the meeting’sagenda, with Deputy PM and FM Pham Binh Minh hailing Malaysia for handlingissues relating to Vietnamese fishermen and vessels based on the friendshipbetween the two countries and supporting Vietnamese ships in distress.
Minister Anifah Aman said Malaysian competentagencies will continue sharing information with Vietnam to fight pirate,provide search and rescue, and consider the establishment of a hot line andjoint patrols between the two countries’ naval forces. Malaysian will alsoconsider negotiating with Vietnam’s marine police on a cooperation agreement.
The two sides were committedto actively implementing the labour cooperation agreement signed in 2015. TheMalaysian minister promised to consider Vietnam’s proposal of receiving more Vietnameseworkers in some new professions such as fisheries and entertainment services.The minister also affirmed Malaysia will pay due attention to ensuring thelegitimate rights and interests of overseas Vietnamese in Malaysia, includingthe fair trial of Vietnamese citizen Tran Thi Huong, who is a suspect in thedeath of a citizen of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea in Malaysia.
Both nations agreed to enhance cooperation andmutual support at regional and international forums, especially the Associationof Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the United Nations (UN).
They emphasised the need to strengthensolidarity and maintain the central role of ASEAN in the regional securityarchitecture and pledged to increase consultations for peace, security,stability, safety and freedom of navigation and aviation in the East Sea.
The two sides called on the involved parties torestrain themselves, not to use or threat to use force, while fully respecting diplomaticand legal procedures to address any disputes via peaceful means and in linewith fundamental principles of international law, including the 1982 UNConvention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
They reiterated their support for the full andeffective implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in theEast Sea (DOC) and the early formation of a practical and legally-binding Codeof Conduct in the East Sea (COC).
Minister Anifah Aman said Malaysia supports Vietnam’shosting of the Economic Leaders’ Meeting of the Asian-Pacific EconomicCooperation (APEC) forum in 2017, adding that Prime Minister Najib Razak willattend the event in the central coastal province of Da Nang in November.
The sixth Vietnam-Malaysia Joint Committee forEconomic, Scientific and Technological Cooperation will be held in Malaysia in2019.-VNA
Both nations agreed to enhance cooperation andmutual support at regional and international forums, especially the Associationof Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the United Nations (UN).
They emphasised the need to strengthensolidarity and maintain the central role of ASEAN in the regional securityarchitecture and pledged to increase consultations for peace, security,stability, safety and freedom of navigation and aviation in the East Sea.
The two sides called on the involved parties torestrain themselves, not to use or threat to use force, while fully respecting diplomaticand legal procedures to address any disputes via peaceful means and in linewith fundamental principles of international law, including the 1982 UNConvention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
They reiterated their support for the full andeffective implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in theEast Sea (DOC) and the early formation of a practical and legally-binding Codeof Conduct in the East Sea (COC).
Minister Anifah Aman said Malaysia supports Vietnam’shosting of the Economic Leaders’ Meeting of the Asian-Pacific EconomicCooperation (APEC) forum in 2017, adding that Prime Minister Najib Razak willattend the event in the central coastal province of Da Nang in November.
The sixth Vietnam-Malaysia Joint Committee forEconomic, Scientific and Technological Cooperation will be held in Malaysia in2019.-VNA
VNA
