Kuala Lumpur, May 25, 2025 – The Europe Today: Vietnamese Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim held extensive talks in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday, affirming their commitment to further strengthening bilateral relations and elevating the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the two countries.
The meeting was held as part of Prime Minister Chính’s official visit to Malaysia, where he is also scheduled to attend the 46th ASEAN Summit and related high-level meetings.
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim began the talks by offering his condolences to the State and people of Vietnam on the passing of former State President Trần Đức Lương. He warmly welcomed PM Chính, his spouse, and the high-ranking Vietnamese delegation, and expressed deep admiration for Vietnam’s historic struggle for independence, as well as the country’s transformative achievements under the Đổi mới (renewal) policy.
He noted Việt Nam’s robust economic growth, improved business climate, and rising living standards, expressing confidence that under the strategic leadership of its high-ranking leaders, Việt Nam will successfully realize its ambition to become a modern industrialized nation by 2045.
For his part, Prime Minister Chính conveyed greetings from Party General Secretary Tô Lâm, State President Lương Cường, and National Assembly Chairman Trần Thanh Mẫn to the Malaysian monarch and leaders. He extended an invitation for Malaysia to send a delegation to attend Vietnam’s 80th National Day celebration in Hanoi this September.
Thanking his Malaysian counterpart for his positive remarks, PM Chính affirmed Vietnam’s consistent policy of valuing and enhancing its traditional friendship and multifaceted cooperation with Malaysia. He stressed that his visit aims to add new impetus to bilateral ties, particularly in implementing the newly established Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP) for the 2025–2030 period.
The leaders acknowledged the encouraging growth of bilateral relations since the CSP was launched in November 2024. Political and diplomatic cooperation continues to strengthen, while economic and investment ties remain a cornerstone of the partnership. Bilateral trade reached US$14.2 billion in 2024, and Malaysia is among Việt Nam’s top 10 foreign investors, with total registered capital exceeding $13 billion.
Both sides recorded progress in a range of sectors including defence and security, energy, education and training, science and technology, tourism, labour, and cultural exchange. They also welcomed the signing of cooperation agreements between the Việt Nam National University, Hà Nội and HCM City, and Malaysia’s National University.
Looking ahead, the two sides agreed to boost delegation exchanges at all levels and explore the establishment of a flexible annual exchange mechanism between top leaders. They pledged to further operationalize bilateral cooperation frameworks and aim to raise bilateral trade to $20 billion by 2030 in a balanced and sustainable manner.
To achieve this, the two governments committed to reducing trade barriers and facilitating the movement of key goods such as agricultural and aquatic products, electronics, food, and construction materials. They also agreed to broaden cooperation in emerging fields such as the digital economy, circular economy, and green economy.
PM Chính affirmed Việt Nam’s readiness to provide Malaysia with a stable, long-term supply of rice and called for early finalisation of a cooperation document in the halal industry. He also urged deeper collaboration in defence and security, including the establishment of cooperative mechanisms among naval, air force, and coast guard units, as well as enhanced cooperation in counterterrorism and the fight against transnational crimes.
Both leaders stressed the principle that no individual or organisation should be allowed to use one country’s territory to conduct hostile acts against the other.
On maritime cooperation, the two Prime Ministers underscored the importance of ocean governance and agreed to consider launching a consultation mechanism on maritime affairs and a hotline to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing. PM Anwar Ibrahim expressed support for Việt Nam’s efforts to have the European Commission’s “yellow card” warning lifted from its seafood sector.
The leaders also discussed deepening cooperation in aviation and tourism, increasing flight frequency, and promoting joint initiatives in education, training, agriculture, labour, culture, and sports. PM Chính extended appreciation to the Malaysian Government for supporting the Vietnamese expatriate community, and encouraged further backing for the Malaysia–Việt Nam Friendship Association.
In terms of regional and multilateral collaboration, both sides reaffirmed mutual support for each other’s candidacies to international organizations. PM Chính pledged Vietnam’s close coordination with Malaysia, particularly in its role as ASEAN Chair in 2025, to advance regional priorities and build an inclusive, resilient ASEAN Community.
Regarding the East Sea (South China Sea), the two Prime Ministers reaffirmed ASEAN’s common stance and expressed support for continued negotiations on the Code of Conduct (COC). They committed to contributing actively to the formulation of an effective, substantive COC aligned with international law, particularly the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
The talks concluded with a strong message of unity, shared vision, and strategic determination to deepen the Vietnam–Malaysia partnership for peace, stability, and prosperity in the region.
