Prime Minister Lê Minh Hưng (right) and the outgoing Malaysian Ambassador Tan Yang Thai at their meeting on August 6 in Hà Nội. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — Prime Minister Lê Minh Hưng hosted a reception in Hà Nội on Thursday for outgoing Malaysian Ambassador Tan Yang Thai, saying that he expects Tan to keep contributing to bilateral ties in his next role.

PM Hưng congratulated Tan on a successful more-than-three-year tenure in Việt Nam, lauding his remarkable contributions to deeper cooperation across the board. He put a spotlight on the upgrade of Việt Nam–Malaysia ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership during Party General Secretary Tô Lâm’s official visit to Malaysia in November 2024.

Pointing to economic ties as a real bright spot, he noted that Malaysia is Việt Nam's third biggest trade partner inside ASEAN and the 10th largest foreign investor among 154 countries and territories.

He urged both sides to open markets wider for each other's goods, particularly agricultural and aquatic products, processed foods, electronic components and construction materials, aiming to raise two-way trade to US$20 billion in a more balanced way.

The host also proposed that Malaysia invest in Việt Nam's halal industry, covering capacity building, common halal certification standards and mutual recognition between the two countries’ national halal certification centres. He additionally called for tight teamwork on a trilateral offshore wind power transmission project involving Việt Nam, Malaysia, and Singapore.

He praised Tan’s role in strengthening communication and coordination at global and regional forums, saying that Việt Nam and Malaysia should continue supporting each other within multilateral frameworks, including ASEAN, the United Nations, APEC and the World Trade Organisation.

He voiced hope that Tan, in whatever role comes next, will push for the quick adoption of an action plan to realise the Việt Nam–Malaysia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, giving the two nations a springboard for more effective and substantive cooperation.

Tan, for his part, affirmed that Malaysia values and wants to build even stronger relations with Việt Nam, particularly in areas ripe with potential and complementary strengths such as oil and gas, agriculture, education-training, digital transformation, digital security, and science and technology.

He expressed confidence that the two nations would contribute meaningfully to ASEAN unity and development, as well as the peaceful settlement of disputes in line with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

On the occasion, Tan expressed his sincere thanks to leaders of the Vietnamese Party, State, Government, relevant ministries and agencies for their support throughout his tenure.

He vowed to continue doing his utmost to grow bilateral cooperation, contributing to a stronger and more substantive Việt Nam–Malaysia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. — VNA/VNS