Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh (right) and his Malaysian counterpart Dato’ Sri Ismail Sabri bin Yaakob. (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam and Malaysia have issued a joint press statement withinthe framework of the Vietnam visit by Prime Minister Dato’ Sri Ismail Sabri bin Yaakob and a high-rankingdelegation of the Malaysian Government at the invitation of Prime Minister PhamMinh Chinh.
The following is the full text of the joint press statement.
1. At the invitation of H.E. Mr. Pham MinhChinh, Prime Minister of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, H.E. Dato’ SriIsmail Sabri Yaakob, Prime Minister of Malaysia, paid an official visit to Vietnamfrom March 20-22, 2022. The visit demonstrated the strong commitment of both sides in advancing theirlong-term friendship and Strategic Partnership and heading together towards sustainablepandemic recovery.
2. During the visit, Prime Minister Dato’ SriIsmail Sabri Yaakob was accorded an official welcoming ceremony; and heldbilateral talks with Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh. The Prime Minister of Malaysia also paid courtesy calls onH.E. Nguyen Phu Trong, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam,H.E. Mr. Nguyen Xuan Phuc, President of the State, and H.E. Vuong Dinh Hue,Chairman of the National Assembly of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.
3. Prime Minister Dato’ Sri Ismail Sabri Yaakob and Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh witnessed the exchange of bilateral documents,including the Memorandum of Understanding on Legal Cooperation Activities; andthe Memorandum of Understanding on the Recruitment, Employment and Repatriationof Workers. Both sides further signed a Letter of Intent expressing theintention to facilitate work towards the finalisation of a Memorandum ofUnderstanding between the Institute of Diplomatic and Foreign Relations ofMalaysia and the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam on Cooperation in the Field ofTraining Diplomats. Both sides also welcomed the Professional CooperationAgreement signed between the Malaysian National News Agency (BERNAMA) andVietnam News Agency.
Strengthening the Vietnam – MalaysiaStrategic Partnership
4. The leaders commendedthe strong and substantive development of the Strategic Partnership between thetwo countries. Both sides agreed to further strengthen politicalconfidence and develop Vietnam - Malaysia Strategic Partnership in a deeper andmore comprehensive manner ahead of key milestone ofthe 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations in 2023.
5. Both sides affirmed commitment towards deepening political and economic cooperation by promoting and conducting regular high-level engagements, strengthening existingbilateral cooperation mechanisms, notably the Joint Commission forEconomic, Scientific and Technological Cooperation (JCM) and the Joint TradeCommittee (JTC). Both sides agreed to continue working closely for theeffective implementation of their signed agreements, including the Vietnam –Malaysia Plan of Action for implementation of the Strategic Partnership for 2021– 2025.
6. The Leaders emphasised the importance of steadilypromoting a strong, balanced and sustainable two-way trade striving towards thetarget of 18 billion USD by 2025 with a view to having balanced trade betweenboth countries. In this regard, they agreed to explore ways to improve marketaccess for key export products of both countries, including agriculture andaquaculture products, Halal products, processed foods, electronic componentsand products.
7. Vietnam’s Leaders highly valued the factthat Malaysia is the second largest ASEAN investors in Vietnam with the totalregistered capital of 13 billion USD. Both sides agreed to further facilitatethe expansion of investment in the two countries, particularly in highpotential areas such as automation, smartlogistics, innovation, high technology, digital economy, digitaltransformation. The Leaders also agreed to undertake joint efforts in takingadvantages of new trade agreements of whichthe two countries are members, including the Comprehensive and ProgressiveAgreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and Regional Comprehensive EconomicPartnership (RCEP) to further deepen their trade linkage.
8. The Leaders expressed satisfaction over thedefence and security cooperation and agreed to enhance information exchange andcooperation between the Navies and the Coast Guards of the two countries toeffectively address emerging maritime issues. Both sides agreed to strengthen maritime and ocean cooperation throughprioritizing sustainable development of maritime economy, management ofmaritime resources and protection of marine environment.
9. Both sides requested to effectively implementthe newly renewed MOU on the Recruitment, Employment and Repatriation ofWorkers. The Leaders committed to continuepromoting people-to-people exchange through the enhancement of cooperation inareas of education, culture and tourism.
10. Malaysia continues tooffer opportunities for Vietnamese officials to participate in the training andcapacity building courses under the Malaysian Technical Cooperation Programme(MTCP).
Recovering together towards sustainable socio-economicdevelopment
11. The Leaders reiterated the importance of closercooperation towards socio-economic resilience and sustainable development atpost COVID-19 pandemic. Both sides agreed to accelerate negotiations for a newAgreement on Air Services and welcomed the early conclusion of theagreement on mutual recognition of COVID-19 vaccination certificates,which will facilitate the safe and regular commercial travel between bothcountries.
Regional and International Cooperation
12. The Leaders exchanged their views on key globaland regional developments. Both sides committed to enhance coordination on building ASEAN Community, including theASEAN Community’s Post-2025 Vision under Malaysia’s role as the permanentshepherd. They expressedsupport for ASEAN’s active role in assisting Myanmar to overcome the currentcrisis, and to return to normalcy, including the implementation of the Five-PointConsensus.
13. The Leaders reiterated ASEAN’s consistent position on the South ChinaSea and reaffirmed the importance of maintainingpeace, security, stability, safety, and freedom of navigation and over-flightin and above the South China Sea, and peaceful resolution of disputes withoutresorting to threat or use of force, in accordance with the universallyrecognised principles of international law, including the 1982 United NationsConvention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). They called for the full andeffective implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in theSouth China Sea (DOC) in its entirety, and were encouraged by the progress ofthe substantive negotiations towards the conclusion of an effective andsubstantive Code of Conduct in the South China Sea (COC) in accordance with internationallaw, including 1982 UNCLOS. They emphasised the need to maintain andpromote an environment conducive to the COC negotiations.
14. Both sides expressed satisfaction at the significant outcomes ofthe visit which helped to further the friendship and Strategic Partnershipbetween Malaysia and Vietnam. Prime Minister Dato’ Sri Ismail Sabri Yaakob highlyappreciated the warm welcome and gracious hospitality extended to the Malaysiandelegation by the Leaders and the people of Vietnam during his visit. The PrimeMinister of Malaysia further invited the Leaders of Vietnam to visit Malaysiaat the convenient opportunities./.
The following is the full text of the joint press statement.
1. At the invitation of H.E. Mr. Pham MinhChinh, Prime Minister of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, H.E. Dato’ SriIsmail Sabri Yaakob, Prime Minister of Malaysia, paid an official visit to Vietnamfrom March 20-22, 2022. The visit demonstrated the strong commitment of both sides in advancing theirlong-term friendship and Strategic Partnership and heading together towards sustainablepandemic recovery.
2. During the visit, Prime Minister Dato’ SriIsmail Sabri Yaakob was accorded an official welcoming ceremony; and heldbilateral talks with Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh. The Prime Minister of Malaysia also paid courtesy calls onH.E. Nguyen Phu Trong, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam,H.E. Mr. Nguyen Xuan Phuc, President of the State, and H.E. Vuong Dinh Hue,Chairman of the National Assembly of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.
3. Prime Minister Dato’ Sri Ismail Sabri Yaakob and Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh witnessed the exchange of bilateral documents,including the Memorandum of Understanding on Legal Cooperation Activities; andthe Memorandum of Understanding on the Recruitment, Employment and Repatriationof Workers. Both sides further signed a Letter of Intent expressing theintention to facilitate work towards the finalisation of a Memorandum ofUnderstanding between the Institute of Diplomatic and Foreign Relations ofMalaysia and the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam on Cooperation in the Field ofTraining Diplomats. Both sides also welcomed the Professional CooperationAgreement signed between the Malaysian National News Agency (BERNAMA) andVietnam News Agency.
Strengthening the Vietnam – MalaysiaStrategic Partnership
4. The leaders commendedthe strong and substantive development of the Strategic Partnership between thetwo countries. Both sides agreed to further strengthen politicalconfidence and develop Vietnam - Malaysia Strategic Partnership in a deeper andmore comprehensive manner ahead of key milestone ofthe 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations in 2023.
5. Both sides affirmed commitment towards deepening political and economic cooperation by promoting and conducting regular high-level engagements, strengthening existingbilateral cooperation mechanisms, notably the Joint Commission forEconomic, Scientific and Technological Cooperation (JCM) and the Joint TradeCommittee (JTC). Both sides agreed to continue working closely for theeffective implementation of their signed agreements, including the Vietnam –Malaysia Plan of Action for implementation of the Strategic Partnership for 2021– 2025.
6. The Leaders emphasised the importance of steadilypromoting a strong, balanced and sustainable two-way trade striving towards thetarget of 18 billion USD by 2025 with a view to having balanced trade betweenboth countries. In this regard, they agreed to explore ways to improve marketaccess for key export products of both countries, including agriculture andaquaculture products, Halal products, processed foods, electronic componentsand products.
7. Vietnam’s Leaders highly valued the factthat Malaysia is the second largest ASEAN investors in Vietnam with the totalregistered capital of 13 billion USD. Both sides agreed to further facilitatethe expansion of investment in the two countries, particularly in highpotential areas such as automation, smartlogistics, innovation, high technology, digital economy, digitaltransformation. The Leaders also agreed to undertake joint efforts in takingadvantages of new trade agreements of whichthe two countries are members, including the Comprehensive and ProgressiveAgreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and Regional Comprehensive EconomicPartnership (RCEP) to further deepen their trade linkage.
8. The Leaders expressed satisfaction over thedefence and security cooperation and agreed to enhance information exchange andcooperation between the Navies and the Coast Guards of the two countries toeffectively address emerging maritime issues. Both sides agreed to strengthen maritime and ocean cooperation throughprioritizing sustainable development of maritime economy, management ofmaritime resources and protection of marine environment.
9. Both sides requested to effectively implementthe newly renewed MOU on the Recruitment, Employment and Repatriation ofWorkers. The Leaders committed to continuepromoting people-to-people exchange through the enhancement of cooperation inareas of education, culture and tourism.
10. Malaysia continues tooffer opportunities for Vietnamese officials to participate in the training andcapacity building courses under the Malaysian Technical Cooperation Programme(MTCP).
Recovering together towards sustainable socio-economicdevelopment
11. The Leaders reiterated the importance of closercooperation towards socio-economic resilience and sustainable development atpost COVID-19 pandemic. Both sides agreed to accelerate negotiations for a newAgreement on Air Services and welcomed the early conclusion of theagreement on mutual recognition of COVID-19 vaccination certificates,which will facilitate the safe and regular commercial travel between bothcountries.
Regional and International Cooperation
12. The Leaders exchanged their views on key globaland regional developments. Both sides committed to enhance coordination on building ASEAN Community, including theASEAN Community’s Post-2025 Vision under Malaysia’s role as the permanentshepherd. They expressedsupport for ASEAN’s active role in assisting Myanmar to overcome the currentcrisis, and to return to normalcy, including the implementation of the Five-PointConsensus.
13. The Leaders reiterated ASEAN’s consistent position on the South ChinaSea and reaffirmed the importance of maintainingpeace, security, stability, safety, and freedom of navigation and over-flightin and above the South China Sea, and peaceful resolution of disputes withoutresorting to threat or use of force, in accordance with the universallyrecognised principles of international law, including the 1982 United NationsConvention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). They called for the full andeffective implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in theSouth China Sea (DOC) in its entirety, and were encouraged by the progress ofthe substantive negotiations towards the conclusion of an effective andsubstantive Code of Conduct in the South China Sea (COC) in accordance with internationallaw, including 1982 UNCLOS. They emphasised the need to maintain andpromote an environment conducive to the COC negotiations.
14. Both sides expressed satisfaction at the significant outcomes ofthe visit which helped to further the friendship and Strategic Partnershipbetween Malaysia and Vietnam. Prime Minister Dato’ Sri Ismail Sabri Yaakob highlyappreciated the warm welcome and gracious hospitality extended to the Malaysiandelegation by the Leaders and the people of Vietnam during his visit. The PrimeMinister of Malaysia further invited the Leaders of Vietnam to visit Malaysiaat the convenient opportunities./.
VNA
