Minister of Foreign Affairs Bùi Thanh Sơn (R) and Second Minister of Foreign Affairs of Brunei Dato Pehin Erywan Yusof. VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI – Minister of Foreign Affairs Bùi Thanh Sơn met with Second Minister of Foreign Affairs of Brunei Dato Pehin Erywan Yusof in Hà Nội on April 23, as the latter has been in Việt Nam to attend the ASEAN Future Forum 2024.

Both officials expressed their delight at the positive development of the Việt Nam-Brunei Comprehensive Partnership over the past time and agreed to facilitate all-level visits in the coming time, with a particular focus on preparations for the Việt Nam visit by the Sultan of Brunei.

They also concurred on the importance of soon convening the third session of the Vietnam-Brunei Joint Commission for Bilateral Cooperation to review the overall bilateral relationship, and ensure the effective implementation of the agreements reached during Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính’s official visit to Brunei in February 2023, particularly the Action Plan on the implementation of the Việt Nam-Brunei Comprehensive Partnership in the 2023-2027 period.

In addition to accelerating the effective implementation of four key areas, including oil and gas, chemicals, Halal products, tourism and people-to-people exchange, Sơn proposed Brunei work closely on implementing bilateral agreements on food security and promptly finalise new deals in agriculture, fisheries, finance, trade, economy, investment and education.

Agreeing with Sơn’s proposals, Yusof suggested enhancing cooperation in potential areas such as oil and gas, agriculture, and tourism, including the "6 countries, 1 destination" initiative. Both sides also vowed to strengthen cooperation in other important areas such as national defence, education, increasing the number of scholarships, and short-term student exchanges.

On global and regional issues of shared concern, they affirmed support for Laos as it assumes the ASEAN Chairmanship in 2024. They also vowed to hasten the ASEAN Community Vision 2045, fostering ASEAN's solidarity and central role in addressing regional issues, including maintaining its common stance on the East Sea issue and promoting the implementation of ASEAN's Five-Point Consensus on the Myanmar issue.

At a working session with ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn on the same day, Sơn suggested the ASEAN Secretariat further enhance its effectiveness in supporting member countries, increase research and forecasting efforts, improve inter-sectoral and inter-pillar coordination, and pool resources for the Secretariat's activities.

Kao expressed support for Việt Nam's stance on strengthening broader and more substantive dialogue relations between ASEAN and its partners.

He also pledged to collaborate with Việt Nam to successfully conclude its term as coordinator for ASEAN-Republic of Korea relations and assume its new roles as coordinator for ASEAN-UK and ASEAN-New Zealand relations. VNS