HANOI – Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s two-day official visit to Vietnam that ended yesterday not only strengthened Malaysia-Vietnam diplomatic relations but also initiated the exploration of various new sectors of interest for both countries.
This includes the fields of agriculture, halal industry, defence and security, education, and human capital development.
Anwar, who was accompanied by his wife Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail during the visit, was not only given a red carpet welcome by his Vietnamese counterpart Pham Minh Chinh at the Presidential Palace but was also given the opportunity to meet four of the most influential leaders in the country’s administrative structure.
During this maiden visit to Vietnam since his appointment as prime minister in November last year, apart from holding a bilateral meeting with Chinh, Anwar also met the Communist Party of Vietnam’s general secretary Ngunyen Phu Trong.
Anwar also paid a courtesy call on assembly Speaker Vuong Dinh Hue and the country’s President Vo Van Thuong and exchanged views with the two leaders.
In his meeting with the most influential leaders of Vietnam, Anwar also took the opportunity to explain the Malaysian government’s new policies under his leadership.
“This time the prime minister was given the opportunity to meet the entire leadership strata in Vietnam. This is a recognition for Anwar,” said Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Zambry Abd Kadir to Malaysian journalists.
Meanwhile, while attending the Malaysia-Vietnam Business Forum here, Anwar, who is also the finance minister, invited Vietnamese investors to invest in Malaysia, assuring them that the investment process would be facilitated.
Anwar and his counterpart also witnessed a memorandum of cooperation signing between the National Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Malaysia and the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry to further strengthen bilateral cooperation between Malaysia and Vietnam.
Anwar and Chinh also witnessed the exchange of Agreed Minutes of the 7th Joint Commission Meeting on Economic, Scientific, and Technology Cooperation between Malaysia and Vietnam.
Before leaving for the federal capital yesterday, Anwar who was also accompanied by ministers Zambry and Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz on the visit, said he was very well received in Vietnam. – Bernama, July 22, 2023
