Prime Minister's visit to Malaysia: A vibrant commitment to the future

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh , leaders of ASEAN countries and Timor-Leste attend the plenary session of the 46th ASEAN Summit on May 26. (Source: VNA)

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s official visit to Malaysia and attendance at the 46th ASEAN Summit and related conferences is a “brotherly reunion” under the same roof, where the Vietnamese leader continues to create momentum for a new framework of relations with the host country; together with leaders of ASEAN countries, creating a development path, overcoming fluctuations, towards a brighter dawn.

The visit clarifies Vietnam's consistent policy of attaching importance to relations with neighboring countries and ASEAN; supporting Malaysia and Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim personally, in his role as the helmsman of ASEAN in an important year, closing the journey of a decade of forming the Community and outlining a vision for the future.

Clear message about beliefs, strategy

“Like at home,” Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh expressed his feelings at the joint press conference when mentioning the warm and sincere welcome from the leaders and people of Malaysia. Meanwhile, the host country’s Prime Minister emphasized: “As I have said many times, Vietnam holds a special place in our hearts.”

These are natural bridges that encourage substantive exchanges and the determination of both countries in clearly defining the development direction of the Vietnam - Malaysia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership framework, in line with the spirit emphasized by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh: "If you say something, you must do it; if you promise something, you must fulfill it." If you do something, you must have results and specific products that can be "weighed, measured, and counted."

Many "tasks" were named by the two Prime Ministers, including: Completing the action program to implement the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership for the 2025-2030 period; establishing a flexible annual exchange mechanism between the two countries' senior leaders; striving to bring bilateral trade turnover to 20 billion USD by 2030 in a balanced direction; expanding cooperation in the fields of digital economy , circular economy, green economy; Vietnam is ready to provide a stable and long-term source of rice to Malaysia, asking Malaysia to support the development of the Halal industry, and soon sign a cooperation document in this field...

The determination at the high level also spreads to the business level, the force that wants to pioneer in breathing “new life” into economic cooperation between the two countries. At the Vietnam - Malaysia Business Meeting, many businesses assessed that “Vietnam’s strong development brings us much joy, Vietnam has a strong role in the world economy”, emphasizing their readiness to work hard to open up a very potential source of economic cooperation, especially in the field of green economy as Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh expected.

“Vietnam and Malaysia have become a model of regional cooperation with the following keywords: politically stable, economically strong, culturally profound, and broad in vision,” the Prime Minister concluded at a press conference after the talks, once again conveying a strong message about the determination of the two countries to cooperate and develop self-reliance and sustainability, actively contributing to peace, stability, and development in the region.

Within the framework of the ASEAN Summit, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh met bilaterally with leaders of ASEAN countries and partners, emphasizing Vietnam's consistent foreign policy towards its neighbors, the region, ASEAN and partners in the spirit of the 13th National Party Congress.

Leaders of many countries expressed their condolences and deep sorrow at the passing of former President Tran Duc Luong, highly appreciating the former President's important contributions to Vietnam's reform, development and regional and international integration.

Historical milestone, sail far away

Perhaps the most important driving force that has shaped ASEAN over the past six decades, overcoming suspicions, confrontations and many storms, is the desire for peace, stability and the desire for self-reliance, self-reliance, and standing firmly on its own two feet. That driving force, in the context of current global fluctuations, has always been steadfast. In particular, the more “experienced”, the stronger ASEAN becomes, the “golden rice bundle of unity” that nurtures the will from within, setting for itself a higher ladder to reach. That spirit was clearly demonstrated throughout the 46th ASEAN Summit.

With the theme “Inclusive and Sustainable”, ASEAN leaders are determined to maintain the achievements they have worked hard to build amid the many challenges of the times. To do so, ASEAN needs to promote its internal potential, support the multilateral trading system based on rules, effectively utilize existing trade agreements, expand linkages and connections, proactively lead and shape the future of the region through frameworks and initiatives such as the ASEAN Power Grid, the ASEAN Digital Economy Framework Agreement, etc.

In particular, after five years of "gestation" (from Vietnam's initiative during the ASEAN Chairmanship Year 2020 on ASEAN's development orientation after 2025), the bloc unanimously approved the document "ASEAN 2045: Our Common Future", including the ASEAN Community Vision 2045 and strategies on politics - security, economy, culture - society and connectivity, establishing a strategic foundation for ASEAN's cooperation and integration in the coming time.

The signing and approval ceremony of the above strategic documents opens a new chapter of ASEAN development, recalling the commitment of ASEAN's founding members nearly 60 years ago and was emphasized by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim as not only a tribute to the past, but also a living covenant with the future.

With the new roadmap, ASEAN will not only adapt to a changing world, but also lead with solidarity, courage and a common vision. The ASEAN Community Vision 2045 will not stop at a political declaration but will be concretized and integrated into national development plans to ensure consistency and coherence. More happily, with the new roadmap, ASEAN will have a new companion when Timor-Leste officially joins the common roof at the 47th ASEAN Summit in October.

Two initiatives were realized within the framework of this summit, including the 2nd ASEAN-Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Summit and the ASEAN-GCC-China Summit, which opened the door to a new cooperation and connectivity strategy for ASEAN; at the same time, discussions were held on the ASEAN-GCC Free Trade Agreement (FTA), and even the possibility of building an ASEAN-GCC-China FTA. The conferences demonstrated the importance of multilateral cooperation, opening up a wider development space for ASEAN, the GCC and China.

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said: The best way to predict is to create the future. Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, when talking about ASEAN, had a similar message: Act today - create tomorrow. Preparing for tomorrow from today is what ASEAN has been trying to do for decades with perseverance, cooperation and strategic vision.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh holds talks with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on May 25. (Source: VGP)

Vietnam with the message "five more"

Throughout this summit, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has contributed to lighting up the belief that with a common will and vision, ASEAN will overcome all changes and move forward strongly. Vietnam pledges to continue to be a responsible, active and proactive member, ready to join ASEAN in building a Community that is “more united, more resilient, more proactive, more inclusive and more sustainable”.

According to the Prime Minister, each “more” cherishes a sincere desire: More solidarity to create collective strength, More self-reliance to hold one’s own destiny, More proactive to shape the game, More inclusive so that ASEAN is always a common home for all members and More sustainable for the future of future generations.

To realize the “five more”, the Prime Minister proposed three focuses of cooperation. First, ASEAN reshapes its development thinking towards inclusiveness as the foundation, innovation as the driving force and sustainability as the destination. Second, ASEAN continues to promote its role as a connector and expand links beyond the region, diversifying products, markets and supply chains. Third, ASEAN maintains its central role and enhances its regional resilience. The bloc’s success will depend on its ability to ensure an independent and autonomous strategic space in implementing policies. ASEAN needs to reaffirm its central role through action, maintain strategic autonomy, promote intra-bloc consensus and enhance its capacity to proactively adapt to external fluctuations.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh personally has many concerns about the development of ASEAN. The Prime Minister initiated the ASEAN Future Forum to create space and room for discussion about the future of the “common home”. At the ASEAN Leaders and Partners Forum (ALPF), within the framework of the summit, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh was honored as the Outstanding ASEAN Leader 2025.

The song “ASEAN Way” has the lyrics: “This is the ASEAN way/ United in thousands of hearts/ For a prosperous and bright Southeast Asia”. Together, ASEAN is moving towards a bright and happy future. Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s visit to Malaysia and attendance at the ASEAN Summit on this occasion was a great success, Vietnam continues to “contribute music and rhyme” to the ever-resonating ASEAN symphony.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/chuyen-cong-tac-cua-thu-tuong-toi-malaysia-ket-uoc-song-dong-voi-tuong-lai-315924.html