President Trần Đại Quang (R) receives Malaysian Minister of International Trade and Industry, Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed, in Hà Nội yesterday. — VNA/VNS Photo Nhan Sáng

HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam and Malaysia should work out specific, practical measures to achieve their trade target of US$15 billion by 2020, President Trần Đại Quang told visiting Malaysian Minister of International Trade and Industry, Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed, in Hà Nội yesterday.
The President hailed the roundtable talks attended earlier in the day by 100 Vietnamese and Malaysian business leaders, saying projects in which Malaysia has invested have contributed significantly to Việt Nam’s socio-economic development.
Malaysia ranks second among ASEAN member countries investing in Việt Nam, with $12 billion mostly in oil and gas, real estate, trade and services. Trade between Malaysia and Việt Nam hit $8 billion in 2015. Last August, Malaysia’s CIMB bank was licensed to establish a branch in Việt Nam.
President Quang and Minister Mustapa Mohamed agreed on measures to step up the two countries’ strategic partnership.
The President suggested re-organising the meeting of the Việt Nam-Malaysia Joint Committee as soon as possible and outlining a plan to implement the Việt Nam-Malaysia Action Plan in 2017-2019.
He stressed that the strategic partnership allowed the two countries to make progress in their political, economic, trade, investment, defence, security, oil and gas, education, tourism, and people-to-people ties.
He expressed his hope that Malaysia would support Việt Nam’s successful hosting of APEC 2017, increase its consultation with Việt Nam and back it at multilateral forums and regional and global co-operative mechanisms.
Minister Mustapa Mohamed said Malaysia wants to take co-operation with Việt Nam to the next level, especially trade, and expects to draw more Vietnamese investors and businesses to his country.
Malaysia will support Việt Nam’s organisation of the APEC Year 2017, he pledged.

Madagascar welcomes VN businesses

Madagascar is willing to roll out the red carpet for Vietnamese businesses to invest in the country, Vietnamese Honorary Consul in Madagascar Eric Andry Ramiandrasoa told President Trần Đại Quang yesterday. 

Ramiandrasoa, who is leading a trade delegation to Việt Nam, said the current trip offers a strong opportunity for Madagascan businesses to study co-operation agreements with Vietnamese partners, such as the military-run telecom group Viettel and the national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines. 

The recent visit to Madagascar by President Trần Đại Quang to attend the 16th Francophone Summit has created an opportunity for collaboration between the two countries’ business communities, he added. 

For his part, President Quang affirmed that the Vietnamese State always supports the development of equal, win-win business co-operation based on national and international law. 

Việt Nam is home to over 600,000 enterprises, including numerous groups and companies operating effectively abroad, he noted. 

The Southeast Asian country is ready to partner with Madagascan firms in agriculture, aquaculture, garment-textiles, cement production and construction materials, he said. 

It also boasts strengths in fields such as aviation, telecommunication, hydropower, infrastructure investment – seaports and accommodation for low-income earners. 

Việt Nam pledged to create optimal conditions for Madagascan companies to build bilateral business partnerships, he affirmed. — VNS