Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính (right) and Malaysian Minister of Defence Mohamad Hasan had talks in Hà Nội on Monday. — VNA/VNS Photo Dương Giang

HÀ NỘI — The Vietnamese Party, State, Government and people highly value the stable, sustainable and long-term development of strategic partnership with Malaysia, Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính told Malaysian Minister of Defence Dato’ Seri Utama Haji Mohamad Bin Haji Hasan during a reception in Hà Nội on Monday.

PM Chính believed that Malaysia will successfully implement its New Industrial Master Plan 2030, elevating the country to a high-income nation with an increasing position on the international arena.

He described Malaysia as Việt Nam's second largest investor in ASEAN, ranking 10th out of 140 countries and territories investing in the country, with a total capital of US$13 billion. Việt Nam now has 21 investment projects in Malaysia with a total registered capital of over $850 million. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, two-way trade hit nearly $15 billion last year, up 17 per cent annually.

The PM expressed his wish to further deepen bilateral strategic partnership in all areas, including the exchange of all-level delegations, investment, trade, culture, education-training, tourism, and people-to-people exchange. He suggested Malaysia assist Việt Nam in having yellow card warning lifted, developing the Halal industry, and opening the door for Vietnamese Halal products.

Informing his guest about Việt Nam's foreign policy and the "four nos" defence policy, he affirmed that the Vietnamese Government always creates the most favourable conditions for the development of cooperation between the two defence ministries.

The Malaysian Minister of Defence affirmed that Việt Nam is an important partner of Malaysia in the region and the only country in ASEAN with which Malaysia has established a strategic partnership.

Briefing the host about the outcomes of his talks with the Vietnamese Defence Minister, he said in the near future, both sides will increase the exchange of delegations, soon establish mechanisms for consultation and dialogue, strengthen coordination among military forces, step up collaboration in areas where both sides have strengths and needs such as training, defence industry, logistics, medical services and disaster relief while offering active consultation and mutual support at global and regional security forums.

In reply, PM Chính suggested the two defence ministries continue working closely together, for the sake of peace, cooperation and development of each country, the region and the world.

Both sides need to continue realising the signed cooperation documents fully and effectively, enhance collaboration in areas of their strength and potential, support the law enforcement agencies at sea to strengthen information exchange and crime prevention, cooperate in training and assist each other's fishing vessels and fishermen in distress at sea, explore and expand potential cooperation areas such as defence industry, logistics, and military medicine, Chính said.

He wished that, as two active and influential members of ASEAN, Malaysia and Việt Nam would continue to support and propose practical initiatives and actions to uphold the internal solidarity and central role of ASEAN in the regional security architecture.

He called for the effective implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC), toward early conclusion of a substantive and effective Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC), guaranteeing the security, safety, freedom of overflight and navigation, the settlement of disputes by peaceful means in line with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and the interests of the parties, contributing to creating an environment of peace, stability, cooperation and development in the East Sea (known internationally as the South China Sea). — VNS