Vietnam – Malaysia elevate their relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership

[VnExpress] General Secretary To Lam and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim agreed to upgrade their relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

The leaders of Vietnam and Malaysia co-chaired a press conference on November 21, announcing the upgrade of bilateral relations. The two sides will strengthen cooperation in areas such as security, defense, maritime cooperation, electricity, and digital economy.

The General Secretary emphasized that with a new vision and at a higher level, this framework of relations will open a new chapter in the cooperation between the two countries.

General Secretary To Lam with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim at the press conference. Photo: VNA.

General Secretary To Lam stated that one of the main pillars of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between Vietnam and Malaysia is to enhance trust and political, defense, and security cooperation between the two countries.

In addition, the two countries will continue to promote economic connectivity, aiming to soon reach a bilateral trade turnover of 18 billion USD and beyond, in a balanced and sustainable manner. The two countries will strengthen cooperation in developing the Halal industry and encourage business investments. Both sides are committed to ensuring the benefits of oil and gas cooperation and will consider establishing a regional cooperation development mechanism in overlapping areas, if any.

The two sides will strengthen cooperation in new areas such as green economy, innovation, science and technology, digital transformation, green energy, and other important sectors for sustainable development.

Vietnam and Malaysia are committed to closely coordinating in regional and international issues, especially within the frameworks of ASEAN and the United Nations.

General Secretary To Lam emphasized the commitment to continue close cooperation to maintain peace, security, stability, safety, and freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea. Vietnam supports the peaceful resolution of disputes, without threats or the use of force, in line with widely recognized principles of international law and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea 1982 (UNCLOS 1982).

The General Secretary called on all parties involved to exercise restraint and refrain from actions that could escalate tensions and affect peace and stability in the South China Sea; to fully and effectively implement the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC); and to commit to soon adopting a substantive and legally binding Code of Conduct in the South China Sea (COC), in accordance with international law, including UNCLOS 1982.

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim expressed his hope that Vietnam would continue to create favorable conditions for Malaysian businesses to invest, and also supported Malaysia in its role as ASEAN Chair in 2025. He mentioned that the two sides already had several cooperative projects in the oil and gas sector. In the near future, both sides hope to strengthen cooperation in fisheries exploitation based on trust and friendship between the two countries.

The two leaders witnessed the exchange of two cooperation documents on trade promotion and renewable energy.