Brian Jeffrey
The Central Commission for External Relations has revealed that General Secretary To Lam, along with his spouse, will be visiting Malaysia from November 21 to 23, as invited by Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and his wife.
In recent years, Vietnam and Malaysia have strengthened their bilateral ties significantly. They are actively working on the 2021–2025 Action Program to implement their Strategic Partnership.
High-level interactions between the two countries are frequent. Recent notable events include Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s visit to Vietnam in July 2023 and Speaker of the House Tan Sri Dato’ Johari Bin Abdul’s visit in October 2023.
Leaders from both nations frequently participate in multilateral discussions as well.
Malaysia is Vietnam’s second-largest trading partner in the ASEAN region and ranks ninth internationally. It stands out as one of the top ten foreign investors in Vietnam.
As of the first eight months of 2023, trade between Vietnam and Malaysia has continued to grow, reaching nearly $10 billion, marking a 15.2% increase compared to the same period last year. Both nations are aiming for $18 billion in bilateral trade by 2025, emphasizing trade balance and the reduction of barriers.
Cooperation in defense has shown positive developments through various exchanges, joint training efforts, and knowledge sharing among military forces.
In terms of security, the collaboration has intensified, with enhanced information sharing to address challenges like terrorism, cybercrime, and transnational crimes.
Currently, around 12,000 Vietnamese workers are legally employed in Malaysia, making up about 1% of the country’s foreign workforce. Furthermore, over 1,000 Vietnamese students are studying in Malaysia.
In March 2022, Malaysia established the Malaysia-Vietnam Friendship Association to foster information exchange and strengthen people-to-people ties. This association seeks to enhance connections in specific sectors, particularly in health, education, and academia, thereby advancing the strategic partnership.
Both nations also support each other’s candidacies in international organizations and strive for unity and solidarity among ASEAN members. Vietnam has voiced its backing for Malaysia’s upcoming chairmanship of ASEAN in 2025.
