Kuala Lumpur (VNA) – Enzo Sim Hong Jun, a researcher at the Penang Institute in Malaysia, has highly evaluated Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s recent official visit to the country, saying that it helped usher in a new chapter in the bilateral relations while further elevating Vietnam’s prestige and position in the international arena.
In an interview with the Vietnam News Agency (VNA)'s resident correspondents in Kuala Lumpur, Enzo highlighted that Vietnam is entering a new phase of development, gradually transitioning towards becoming a high-tech manufacturing hub. This is a crucial element that will support its journey towards a digital economy, green economy, and sustainable development goals. These are also areas where Malaysia has extensive experience and can share valuable insights with Vietnam, he noted.
According to the researcher, this trip was expected to open a new chapter in the diplomatic ties between the two countries, particularly as they upgraded their relationship to the highest level of comprehensive strategic partnership in November last year during the visit of Vietnamese Party General Secretary To Lam to Malaysia. PM Chinh’s visit also further consolidated the robust cooperation between the two nations across a range of fields, from trade, economy, and investment to security and defence.
Beyond that, the trip was hoped to help Vietnam further elevate its standing and strengthen its relationships with other ASEAN member states, including Malaysia.
Enzo said Vietnam’s participation played a significant role, contributing to the success of the 46th ASEAN Summit hosted by Malaysia, especially as the event coincided with the second ASEAN-Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Summit and the first-ever ASEAN-GCC-China Summit. These summits enabled Vietnam to not only engage with regional leaders but also deepen its economic ties with Gulf states such as the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia, Oman, Bahrain, Qatar, and others./.
