National Assembly Chairman Trần Thanh Mẫn (right) welcomed Speaker of the House of Representatives of Malaysia Tan Sri Dato' Johari Bin Abdul in Hà Nội on Wednesday. VNA/VNS Photo Doãn Tấn

HÀ NỘI — National Assembly (NA) Chairman Trần Thanh Mẫn has proposed that Việt Nam's NA and Malaysia’s House of Representatives and Senate study and promote the signing of a cooperation agreement which is expected to create a basis to deepen relationship between the two countries' legislative bodies.

He was speaking on Wednesday while holding talks with Speaker of the House of Representatives of Malaysia, Tan Sri Dato' Johari Bin Abdul who is on an official visit to Việt Nam.

He affirmed that Việt Nam attaches importance to and wishes to deepen the strategic partnership with Malaysia towards in-depth, substantive, effective and specific relations.

He emphasised that the Vietnamese NA is ready to create favourable conditions for cooperation between the two countries.

Mẫn was pleased to note that in the first eight months of 2024, Việt Nam and Malaysia recorded a two-way trade turnover of nearly US$10 billion, an increase of 15.2 per cent over the same period last year.

Tourism activities between the two countries have returned to normal and are growing thanks to cooperation mechanisms. Malaysia is currently the Việt Nam’s second largest tourist market in ASEAN after Thailand. In the first nine months of 2024, Việt Nam welcomed nearly 360,000 Malaysian visitors.

Mẫn said there is still more room for trade and tourism cooperation between the two countries. Both countries can strengthen cooperation in investment, technology, tourism and trade, thereby expanding the trading space and maximising the advantages of each side.

He proposed the Malaysian side promote the exchange of delegations at all levels, effectively implement existing cooperation mechanisms and agreements to bring bilateral trade turnover up to $18 billion in a balanced direction.

He also said he hoped that Malaysia will support training for localities and Vietnamese enterprises on production processes and Halal certification, while further facilitating the import of these items from Việt Nam, striving to sign a cooperation agreement in the sector in the near future.

Regarding the East Sea (internationally known as South China Sea) issue, Mẫn highly appreciated Malaysia's viewpoints and policies in handling the issue.

The two sides need to coordinate with ASEAN countries to maintain ASEAN's stance on the East Sea issue, promote the full implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC), negotiate an effective and substantive Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC) in accordance with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, he said.

He hoped to effectively coordinate with Malaysia in the repatriation and humane treatment of Vietnamese fishermen detained in Malaysian waters on the basis of the Việt Nam - Malaysia Strategic Partnership.

Speaker of the House of Representatives of Malaysia Tan Sri Dato' Johari Bin Abdul acknowledged the proposals made by Mẫn and affirmed that he would soon forward them to the government and relevant agencies of Malaysia.

He vowed to make efforts to coordinate with Việt Nam to address the matters in the spirit of the Malaysia-Việt Nam Strategic Partnership.

The Malaysian leader invited NA Chairman Mẫn and other Vietnamese senior leaders to visit and attend ASEAN and AIPA Summits during Malaysia's ASEAN Chairmanship and AIPA Chairmanship next year. — VNS