Malaysian PM hopes to enhance strategic partnership with Vietnam
Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad said in an interview granted to Vietnamese press during his ongoing visit to Vietnam that Malaysia looks forward to enhancing the strategic partnership with Vietnam in a tangible way so that both countries will benefit.
Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) – Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad said in aninterview granted to the Vietnamese press during his ongoing visit to Vietnamthat Malaysia looks forward to enhancing the strategic partnership with Vietnamin a tangible way so that both countries will benefit.
The PMnoted that Vietnam has changed a lot, becoming more active and much greatereffective than when he visited the last time in 1998.
“And interms of economic growth, you have done extremely well, growing up to 7 percentper year,” Mahathir said, adding that he thought Vietnam has made much progresscompared with other ASEAN countries and may overstep Malaysia.
On the Malaysia-Vietnam strategic partnership,the Malaysian PM said the two countries already have 33 partnership agreements,but they need to focus on various areas where each has got its own strength.
He notedthat Vietnam certainly has a bigger population thanMalaysia, and big population means big market.
“Although the per capita income is not highbut we have noticed that big population with people hardworking, skillful, willcontribute very much to the growth of the economy,” he said, noting that forMalaysia, to have a partner with a big population is important because it is atrading nation and the bigger the market, the bigger the opportunity to tradeand also to invest.
Remarking thatMalaysian companies have been very active in Vietnam, PM Mahathir said he believesthat in the future there will be more investment in Vietnam.
“So we lookforward to enhancing the strategic partnership in a very tangible way so thatboth countries will benefit,” he said.
He pointed to agriculture as a potentialarea. Malaysia is buying rice and a number of vegetable products from Vietnam,and is looking to importing more agricultural products, he said, adding that Malaysia is alsointerested in investing in agricultural sector in Vietnam so that the countrycan obtain regular supply from Vietnam.
Asked about what Malaysia and Vietnam coulddo together to contribute to maintaining peace and security in the region aswell as strengthening ASEAN’s centrality, PM Mahathir said what happens in theEast Sea affect both countries, and the movement of vessels through the EastSea is important to both Malaysia and Vietnam. He underlined the need to avoidconfrontation, stressing that “if there are some problems, we need to sit downtogether, and discuss and try to solve the problem in a peaceful way.”
The PM emphasizedthat he hopes the sea will be free for navigation all the time.–VNA
Major newspapers of Malaysia carried various articles ahead of the upcoming official visit to Vietnam of Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad and his spouse, which will take place on August 27-28.
Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad arrived in Hanoi on August 26 night, starting his official visit to Vietnam on August 27-28 at the invitation of Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc.
Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad arrived in Hanoi on August 26, beginning his official visit to Vietnam at the invitation of Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc.
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and his Malaysian counterpart Mahathir Mohamad witnessed a signing ceremony of cooperative agreements between the two countries in Hanoi on August 27.
State President Luong Cuong’s trip once again reaffirmed the Party and State’s foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, diversification and multilateralisation of relations. It also reflected the strong trend of enhanced cooperation among countries of the Global South in shaping a new, more multipolar, fair and equitable world order.
The outcomes of Party General Secretary To Lam's visit will serve as a driving force and source of inspiration for the two countries to inherit, promote, and elevate their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, contributing to the national construction and development cause in each country, and to peace, cooperation, and development in the region and the world.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on August 9 inspected the construction site of the new Phong Chau bridge, and surveyed a planned route for the Lao Cai – Hanoi – Hai Phong railway section running through the northern province of Phu Tho.
Across print, broadcast, and online platforms, Angolan media portrayed State President Luong Cuong's visit as a warm and historic occasion, strengthening bilateral ties and boosting Vietnam’s presence in Africa through the AU.
The 500kV Lao Cai – Vinh Yen power transmission line has a total investment of over 7.41 trillion VND (282.5 million USD), and a total length of 229.5 km, passing through 31 communes in the two provinces, and comprising 468 transmission tower foundations.
The visits reflected the elevated position of Vietnam’s foreign policy in the new era—aimed at not only advancing ties with key regional partners like Egypt and Angola but also delivering a strategic message about Vietnam’s commitment to deepening relations with African nations as a whole.
At their talks and meetings, President Cuong and Angola’s top leaders affirmed that the close brotherhood and traditional friendship are a valuable shared asset and a solid foundation for the two nations to advance into a new phase of development.
The ruling People’s Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) attaches great importance to the friendship, solidarity, and comradeship with the Communist Party of Vietnam, and voiced her Party’s wish to further deepen and expand relations between the two sides for the benefit of the Vietnamese and Angolan people.
Vietnam pledges to do its utmost to build an ASEAN of solidarity, consensus, and unity in diversity, and to foster a fast and sustainable development path for ASEAN, grounded in science, technology, and innovation, said Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh.
Party General Secretary To Lam called on the criminal police force to accelerate the application of science, technology, artificial intelligence, and digital transformation in criminal investigation tasks such as crime prevention, detection, tracking and verification, ensuring that no area remains out of their reach.
Many Koreans living, studying, and working in Hanoi see the upcoming state visit to the Republic of Korea (RoK) by Party General Secretary To Lam as an opportunity to generate strong synergy in economic cooperation, people-to-people exchanges, and cultural understanding.
The achievements of the five decades of Vietnam–Angola cooperation provide a strong and enduring foundation, as well as momentum for the two sides to consolidate, expand, and bring their partnership into a new phase of development.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh stressed that the emulation and commendation work is a vital driver, fostering patriotism, dedication, and collective momentum in the run-up to the 11th National Patriotic Emulation Congress, Party congresses at all levels, and the 14th National Party Congress.
Emphasising the need for sustainable, long-term collaboration, National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man called on Japanese investors not only to bring in capital but also to share expertise and modern technology, especially in areas such as green transformation, the circular economy, and advanced corporate governance.
President Luong Cuong's activities during his state visit to Angola, the celebration of the financial sector's 80th traditional day, and the Foreign Ministry's flag-hoisting ceremony marking the 58th founding anniversary of ASEAN are among news highlights on August 8.
Vietnamese Ambassador to Thailand Pham Viet Hung praised the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ meaningful initiative, noting that the ASEAN Family Run was not only a sporting activity but also an opportunity for diplomats and their families to show unity, connection, and solidarity within the ASEAN family.
Politburo member, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on August 8 attended the first congress of the Party Organisation of Tay Ho ward of Hanoi for the 2025–2030 term, during which he called for fresh momentum to turn the ward into a model that takes the lead in all fields.
The size of the economy increased from over 5 billion USD in 1986 to over 476 billion USD by 2024, making Vietnam the fourth-largest economy in Southeast Asia and the 34th largest in the world.
The ASEAN flag-hoisting ceremony is observed by the 10 ASEAN member countries on August 8 every year, aiming to spread and promote the ASEAN identity and affirm the determination to unite and cooperate for the common aspiration of long-term peace and prosperity of Southeast Asian countries under the common roof of the ASEAN Community.
Vice Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Nguyen Manh Cuong highlighted ASEAN’s nearly six decades of development, during which the region transformed from division to harmony, from confrontation to cooperation, and from poverty to dynamic growth, becoming a global bright spot for regional cooperation.
Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad (Photo: VNA) 
