Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính (left) and his Malaysian counterpart Dato’ Sri Ismail Sabri bin Yaakob (right). The pair oversaw an exchange of documents that will ensure greater collaboration between Vietnamese and Malaysian news agencies. — VNA/VNS Photo Dương Giang

HÀ NỘI — Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính and his Malaysian counterpart Dato’ Sri Ismail Sabri bin Yaakob on Monday witnessed the exchange of four cooperation documents, including a cooperative agreement between the Vietnam News Agency (VNA) and the Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama).

On March 19, VNA Director-General Vũ Việt Trang and Bernama Editor-in-Chief Khairdzir Md Yunus held talks and signed the agreement.

These are the first in-person talks that VNA has organised since the COVID-19 outbreak in late 2019. The Malaysian delegation is also the first foreign partner welcomed by the Vietnamese news agency this year. The event took place on the threshold of the Malaysian PM’s official visit to Việt Nam.

Under the deal, the two news agencies will continue with the exchange of texts and photos, and enhance the exchange of video and infographic news. The two leaders committed to maintaining the exchange of information about high-level visits; supporting each other's resident reporters; continuing to support each other at regional and international press forums, especially within the framework of the Organisation of Asia-Pacific News Agency (OANA); and sharing experience and cooperating in training personnel in professional and technical fields. They also agreed to consider the possibility of conducting other cooperative activities related to communication. 

VNA Director-General Trang said as Việt Nam will be hosting the upcoming 31st Southeast Asian (SEA) Games this year, VNA, with its role as the national news agency, will provide information about this event for Bernama, and hopes that the latter will expand its coverage on the event.

She also proposed the two agencies use more information from each other, with the focus on cooperation in post-pandemic economic recovery and development; exchange experience in digital transformation; and hold a joint communication activity towards the celebration of the 50th anniversary of Việt Nam-Malaysia diplomatic ties in 2023.

The guest agreed with the host’s proposals and expressed his hope that the newly-signed agreement will help lift the strategic cooperation between VNA and Bernama to a new height.

The two national news agencies set up ties in 1991 with the signing of a professional cooperation agreement. The re-signing took place in 2015 within the framework of the 38th OANA Executive Board meeting.

Vietnamese Foreign Minister Bùi Thanh Sơn and his Malaysian counterpart Dato' Sri Saifuddin bin Abdullah exchange documents on cooperation between the two countries' diplomatic academies. — VNA/VNS Photo Dương Giang

The two prime ministers also witnessed the exchange of a Letter of Intent on Cooperation between the two Diplomatic Academies of the two Foreign Ministries, by Vietnamese Foreign Minister Bùi Thanh Sơn and his Malaysian counterpart Dato' Sri Saifuddin bin Abdullah.

Meanwhile, Minister of Justice Lê Thành Long and Malaysian Attorney-General Tan Sri Idrus Bin Harun exchanged a Memorandum of Understanding on legal cooperation between the two governments.

Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs Đào Ngọc Dung Dung and the Malaysian Foreign Minister exchanged a Memorandum of Understanding on recruitment, employment and labourer repatriation between the two governments. — VNS