Brunei considers Vietnam a reliable partner in ASEAN

Photo caption — Ambassador Tran Anh Vu. Photo: nhandan.vn

Here is the interview content:

Ambassador, please assess the importance and special significance of the State visit to Vietnam by the Sultan of Brunei Darussalam Haji Hassanal Bolkiah?

At the invitation of President Luong Cuong, Sultan of Brunei Hassanal Bolkiah will pay a State visit to Vietnam from November 30 to December 2, 2025. The Sultan's visit affirms the determination of the two countries to continuously consolidate and deepen the friendship and cooperation in all fields after upgrading the bilateral relationship to Comprehensive Partnership in 2019.

During the visit, the two sides will discuss and evaluate the implementation of cooperation areas within the framework of the Action Program to implement the Comprehensive Partnership for the period of 2023 - 2027, approved during the official visit to Brunei by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh (February 2023). In particular, the visit is an opportunity for the two sides to discuss measures to strengthen and deepen cooperation in important and priority areas such as politics - diplomacy, defense - security, energy, Halal industry, tourism and people-to-people exchange, as well as in areas of interest and need to promote cooperation.

For Brunei, the visit demonstrates Brunei's respect and strong friendship for Vietnam as a trusted partner in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). For Vietnam, welcoming the Sultan of Brunei to Vietnam contributes to implementing the Party and State's foreign policy of valuing relations with ASEAN countries, consolidating and enhancing multifaceted cooperation between Vietnam and Brunei, and contributing to peace , stability, cooperation and development in the region.

Looking back on the journey since upgrading the relationship to Comprehensive Partnership, could the Ambassador analyze in more depth the outstanding and substantive achievements that the two countries have achieved in recent times?

Looking back on the journey since upgrading to a Comprehensive Partnership in 2019, the two sides have made efforts to promote and deepen cooperation in all fields. Political and diplomatic cooperation has been consolidated and enhanced through delegation exchanges and high-level and all-level foreign contacts. Within the framework of Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh's official visit to Brunei, the two sides approved the Action Program to implement the Vietnam - Brunei Comprehensive Partnership for the period 2023 - 2027, which clearly identifies priority areas of cooperation and key solutions and tasks. The Joint Committee on Bilateral Cooperation (JCBC) mechanism co-chaired by the two Foreign Ministers plays an important role in reviewing and urging the implementation of cooperation areas in an increasingly practical and effective direction.

Economic cooperation between the two countries has also made many strides. Two-way trade turnover in the 2023-2025 period exceeded the target of 500 million USD, of which bilateral trade reached more than 670 million USD in 2024, creating a basis for the two sides to identify higher trade targets in the coming period. Vietnam's exports to Brunei have grown positively in recent years, specifically in the first 10 months of this year, it increased by more than 30% over the same period last year. Cooperation in priority areas such as energy, Halal industry, tourism, etc. has been promoted. A number of Vietnamese enterprises in Brunei are expanding their business activities, especially in the fields of cuisine and handicrafts. The two sides are actively exchanging and establishing a cooperation framework in areas of mutual interest, especially the Halal and seafood industries.

Defense and security cooperation between the two countries has also achieved many positive results through the implementation of Memoranda of Understanding on defense cooperation and cooperation in specific fields. In 2025, the Commander of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces visited Vietnam, while the two sides continued to actively exchange, increase delegation exchanges and establish cooperation frameworks and dialogues on defense and security.

Educational cooperation and people-to-people exchange have contributed significantly to strengthening the friendly and cooperative relations between Vietnam and Brunei. The Vietnamese community in Brunei plays an important role in promoting economic, social, cultural and people-to-people exchanges between the two countries. Vietnamese is currently the only language in Southeast Asia taught at the University of Brunei (UBD), attracting increasing attention from Bruneian students.

Given the global trend, what do you think are the "golden areas" that need to be focused on exploiting to modernize the economic cooperation platform, especially the green economy, circular economy and digital economy?

Vietnam and Brunei have the potential, opportunities and room to strengthen and deepen economic cooperation on the basis of high complementarity, and both sides attach importance to cooperation with partner countries in ASEAN, as well as focus on diversifying partners and markets and promoting the exploitation of new growth drivers.

Vietnam and Brunei have the potential to cooperate in renewable energy transition, green economy, circular economy, in line with the commitment to emission reduction and sustainable development. Both countries are committed to achieving net zero emissions by 2050 and have the potential to promote cooperation and share experiences on sustainable energy transition policies, including carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology - an area in which Brunei has great potential.

Digital economy, science - technology and innovation are also promising areas of cooperation. Partners in Brunei are interested in and appreciate Vietnam's determination and strong steps to take advantage of new growth momentum from the digital economy, science - technology and innovation in the new period. Brunei is promoting the "Brunei Vision 2035" to build a smart nation through digital applications. This is an opportunity for Vietnamese digital technology enterprises to participate in Brunei's digital transformation process, from building telecommunications infrastructure, e-government to digital payments and potential technology fields.

In addition, the two sides have the potential to cooperate in many new industries and fields associated with innovation and technological innovation trends such as cooperation in connecting startup ecosystems, cooperation in high-tech agriculture, eco-tourism and education and training of high-quality human resources.

How does the Ambassador assess the prospects of bilateral cooperation and coordination between the two countries at multilateral forums in the coming time?

Cooperation between Vietnam and Brunei will continue to be promoted on the basis of established bilateral cooperation frameworks as well as the need and potential to enhance cooperation in priority areas of mutual interest, especially with the close support and direction of senior leaders and the response and participation of agencies, organizations, people and businesses of the two countries.

Within the framework of ASEAN, the United Nations and multilateral forums, Vietnam and Brunei will continue to coordinate closely to contribute to peace, stability, cooperation and development at the regional and global levels. The two sides' assumption of important positions, including Vietnam hosting APEC 2027 and being elected as a member of the United Nations Human Rights Council for the 2026-2028 term, Brunei playing the role of coordinator of ASEAN-EU cooperation... are opportunities to enhance exchanges and increasingly substantive coordination at multilateral cooperation mechanisms and forums in the coming period.

Thank you very much, Ambassador!

Source: https://baotintuc.vn/thoi-su/brunei-coi-viet-nam-la-doi-tac-dang-tin-cay-trong-asean-20251127162604600.htm