KUALA LUMPUR, May 24 — Vietnam’s Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính will undertake his first official visit to Malaysia tomorrow to further deepen comprehensive strategic cooperation and strengthen bilateral ties between the two nations.
The Foreign Ministry (Wisma Putra) said the visit is ahead of the 46th Asean Summit, the second Asean-GCC Summit, and the Asean-GCC-China Summit, which will be held on Monday (May 26) and Tuesday (May 27) in the capital.
This marks Chính's first visit to Malaysia since his election as the Prime Minister of Vietnam in April 2021. He will be accompanied by his spouse Lê Thị Bích Trân and Deputy Prime Minister cum Foreign Minister Bùi Thanh Sơn, among others.
Chính will be accorded an official welcoming ceremony by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim at the Perdana Putra in Putrajaya, followed by a bilateral meeting.
It said the leaders’ meeting will focus on the progress of ongoing bilateral cooperation, particularly in trade and investment, defence and security, agriculture and commodities, the halal industry, renewable energy, tourism, and digital technology.
“The two leaders will engage in a substantive exchange of views on regional and global developments, with an emphasis on the strategic importance of Asean as a cohesive and responsive platform to address shared concerns, particularly in light of emerging geopolitical and geoeconomic challenges,” Wisma Putra said in a statement today.
Asean comprises 10 member states: Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.
The 46th Asean Summit is being held under Malaysia’s 2025 chairmanship theme, 'Inclusivity and Sustainability'.
Malaysia and Vietnam elevated their bilateral ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in November last year.
In 2024, Vietnam ranked as Malaysia's 11th largest trading partner globally, and fourth largest among Asean member states. Trade between Malaysia and Vietnam stood at RM83.11 billion, with exports from Malaysia to Vietnam valued at RM53.86 billion, while imports from Vietnam to Malaysia were valued at RM29.25 billion.
Malaysian companies have implemented over 700 projects in Vietnam across various sectors, with cumulative investments currently valued at over US$13 billion (RM55 billion).
— Bernama
