The visit demonstrates the consistent policy of the Party and State of Vietnam, which always values and wishes to further strengthen relations with neighboring and regional partners, including Malaysia, as well as to elevate its trustworthy and effective cooperation with Malaysia to a new phase, which is at a higher and more practical level, meeting development requirements of both countries in the new period.

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Party chief’s Malaysia visit marks important milestone in Vietnam-Malaysia relations.

The visit also emphasizes Vietnam’s commitment to be active and responsible, together with Malaysia and ASEAN member countries, in building a united and strong community, maintaining the central role in the regional structure, and making contribution to ensuring peace, stability, cooperation, and development in the region and around the world.

More than fifty years ago, Malaysia was one of the first countries to establish diplomatic relations with Vietnam after the signing of the Paris Peace Accords. The two countries officially set up diplomatic ties in March 1973, marking the beginning of a decades-long journey of close, ever-growing relations between the two countries. With their geographical proximity and shared interests in the region and the world, Vietnam and Malaysia have seized the opportunities to strengthen their relationship, regardless of the difficulties and challenges.

In August 2015, the two nations upgraded their relationship to a strategic partnership, opening a new chapter in bilateral relations, making Vietnam Malaysia's only strategic partner in ASEAN.

The Party chief’s Malaysia visit takes place in the context of the continuous development of the Vietnam-Malaysia relations in all fields. The two countries affirmed their joint commitment to strengthening the strategic partnership and working together for peace and prosperity in the region and the world. Senior leaders of both nations have regularly maintained visits and interactions at international and regional forums. The 50th anniversary of the establishment of Vietnam-Malaysia diplomatic relations was marked by the Malaysian Prime Minister’s official visit to Vietnam in July 2023.

Vietnam and Malaysia are actively carrying out the Action Program to implement their strategic partnership for the 2021-2025 period. Based on increasing political trust, the two countries continue to deepen defense and security cooperation and effectively maintain bilateral cooperation mechanisms. Meanwhile, the two countries are each other's leading economic partners in ASEAN with two-way trade turnover reaching 12.7 billion USD in 2023. Cooperation in labor, education, culture, tourism, and people-to-people exchange has also recorded many positive results.

As ASEAN’s important members, Vietnam and Malaysia have actively worked with other member states to enhance solidarity, promote the bloc’s central role, and join hands to build the ASEAN Community into a key driving force in the broader regional structure. The two countries have closely coordinated at other multilateral forums and regularly shared their stances on regional and international issues.

Looking back at the obtained achievements over the past half a century, we are completely confident in the bright future of the Vietnam-Malaysia relations. This also serves as the foundation for us to believe that the official visit to Malaysia by Party General Secretary To Lam will be a success, marking an important milestone to bring Vietnam-Malaysia relations into a new stage of development.

Translated by Quynh Oanh