Vietnam wishes to boost ties with Malaysia, Cambodia
VOV.VN - Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh expressed Vietnam’s desire to strengthen the cooperative relations with Malaysia and Cambodia during his separate meetings with the ambassadors of the two countries in Hanoi on April 7.
Receiving Ambassador Dato' Tan Yang Thai, Chinh affirmed that Vietnam always attaches importance to the friendship and strategic partnership with Malaysia.
He welcomed the positive results recorded in bilateral economic, trade and investment cooperation, noting two-way trade turnover last year reached nearly US$15 billion, up more than 17% year on year, and Malaysia remained the second largest investor among Southeast Asian countries in Vietnam with a total registered capital of US$13 billion.
He suggested that Malaysia help Vietnamese goods and services, including Halal products, to easily access its market, so as to soon raise bilateral trade turnover to US$18 billion this year.
He also suggested that the two countries make good use of opportunities from regional trade agreements such as the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), and expand cooperation in the fields of digital economy, circular economy, and green economy.
Vietnam is ready to create favourable conditions for foreign investors, including those from Malaysia, to operate successfully in the country, the PM assured his guest.
He expected that the Ambassador during his tenure, would actively promote his role to further develop the Vietnam – Malaysia ties in a substantive and deep manner.
Ambassador Dato' Tan Yang Thai for his part said he would work hard to help further boost bilateral cooperation in potential fields such as agriculture, development of the Halal industry, education-training, digital transformation, digital security, and science – technology.
He appreciated Chinh’s proposals, including one to strengthen bilateral cooperation at sea and closely coordinate to solve issues relating to fishermen and fishing vessels.
He also said Malaysia is ready to welcome foreign workers including those from Vietnam, in the post-pandemic period, under the 2022 Memorandum of Understanding on labour cooperation between the two countries.
While receiving Ambassador Chea Kimtha, Chinh expressed his belief Cambodia will successfully organize the seventh general election and the 32nd Southeast Asian Games this year.
Vietnam stays ready to support and share experiences with Cambodia to successfully organize this important sporting event, he told the Cambodia diplomat.
Chinh proposed that Vietnam and Cambodia make more efforts to negotiate and complete 16% of the remaining workload regarding border demarcation and border marker planting in order to build a common border of peace, friendship, cooperation and development.
At the same time, he asked the Cambodian side to continue to handle legal documents for Vietnamese people in Cambodia, creating favourable conditions for them to do business and live stably in their host country.
Ambassador Chea Kimtha for her part highly appreciated Chinh’s proposals and affirmed she would do her best during the working term to contribute to further promoting the Vietnam - Cambodia relations.
Marking Cambodia’s traditional New Year Chol Chnam Thmay 2023, the Vietnamese Prime Minister extended New Year greetings to King Norodom Sihamoni, Queen Mother Norodom Monineath Sihanouk, Prime Minister Hun Sen and other senior Cambodian leaders.