Bringing Vietnam-Malaysia relations to a new level

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim pose for a photo. (Photo: Duong Giang/VNA)

This is the first visit by a Prime Minister to Malaysia in 10 years and the first visit to Malaysia by a key leader of our country after the two countries upgraded their relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership during the official visit to Malaysia by General Secretary To Lam in November 2024.

The visit contributes to strengthening political trust and promoting the implementation of the Vietnam-Malaysia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in all fields.

Milestones in Vietnam-Malaysia relations

Vietnam and Malaysia have a history of close cooperation spanning over 50 years. The two countries officially established diplomatic relations on March 30, 1973, but before that, the two countries had an early relationship of exchange, cooperation and mutual learning.

Over the past half century, the relationship between Vietnam and Malaysia has been developing positively and well in all fields, especially since being upgraded to a Strategic Partnership in August 2015. The establishment of the Strategic Partnership has demonstrated the depth and breadth of the bilateral relationship, demonstrating high political trust and paving the way for extensive and comprehensive cooperation between the two countries in all fields of politics, diplomacy, economics, trade, culture, tourism, defense, security, science and technology and sustainable development.

Then, in November 2024, during General Secretary To Lam's official visit to Malaysia, the two countries agreed to upgrade their relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, for the benefit of the people of the two countries, for peace, sustainable development and common prosperity of ASEAN and the world.

The establishment of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership framework has helped create an important foundation and direction for bilateral cooperation in the new period, with four main pillars: promoting political, defense and security cooperation; enhancing economic connectivity towards sustainable development; opening up cooperation in new areas such as digital transformation, clean energy, new technology, as well as helping to strengthen coordination on international and multilateral issues.

The establishment of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership framework has helped create an important foundation and direction for bilateral cooperation in the new period, with four main pillars.

Also over the past 50 years, the good political-diplomatic relationship between the two countries has been marked by high-level delegation exchanges and contacts through all channels of the Party, Government, State, National Assembly and people-to-people exchanges. Notable visits from Vietnam include visits to Malaysia by: General Secretary Do Muoi (March 1994); Prime Minister Vo Van Kiet on an official visit (January 1992); President Tran Duc Luong on an official visit (March 1998); Prime Minister Phan Van Khai attending the APEC Summit in Malaysia (November 1998), on an official visit (April 2004); Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung on an official visit (August 2007 and August 2015); President Truong Tan Sang on a state visit (September 2011); Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh met with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on the occasion of attending the 44th and 45th ASEAN Summits in Laos (October 10, 2024); President Luong Cuong met with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on the occasion of attending the 2024 APEC Summit Week in Lima (Peru) (November 15, 2024); General Secretary To Lam paid an official visit to Malaysia (November 2024).

More recently, within just one month, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh had two phone calls with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim (April 6, 2025; April 28, 2025) to share assessments of the world and regional situation, and measures to promote bilateral cooperation and ASEAN cooperation.

General Secretary To Lam and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim held official talks in November 2024. (Photo: Thong Nhat/VNA)

On the Malaysian side, there were visits to Vietnam by: King Muhammad V (March 2009, September 2013); Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak (April 2014); Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad (August 2019); Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim paid an official visit to Vietnam (July 2023); Malaysian Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry Zafrul Abdul Aziz visited and worked in Vietnam, co-chaired the 4th Meeting of the Vietnam-Malaysia Joint Trade Committee in Hanoi (July 2024); Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Dato Sri Haji Fadillah bin Haji Yusof led a high-ranking delegation from Malaysia to pay a visit to General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong (July 2024); General Tan Sri Datuk Seri Mohammad bin Ab Rahman, Commander of the Malaysian Defense Force, paid an official visit to Vietnam (August 2024); Speaker of the Malaysian House of Representatives Tan Sri Dato' Johari Bin Abdul paid an official visit to Vietnam (October 2024); Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim paid a working visit on the occasion of attending the 2nd ASEAN Future Forum in Hanoi (February 2025)...

Currently, bilateral cooperation mechanisms are always promoted and maintained by the leaders of the two countries, including: Vietnam-Malaysia Joint Committee on Economic, Scientific and Technical Cooperation (7th meeting at the Foreign Minister level in Vietnam in July 2023); Vietnam-Malaysia Joint Trade Committee (4th meeting in July 2024 in Hanoi); Science and Technology Cooperation Committee (4th meeting in 2006 in Malaysia); Defense Cooperation Committee.
The Communist Party of Vietnam has good relations with major political parties in Malaysia such as the People's Justice Party (PKR) led by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) - the party currently participating in the ruling coalition.

In addition, the two countries closely coordinate at regional and international forums such as ASEAN, the United Nations, APEC, etc. Vietnam and Malaysia always coordinate, regularly exchange cooperation and consult each other, so there are many consensus points and common views within ASEAN as well as in the relations between ASEAN and outside countries, contributing to enhancing the position and role of ASEAN in the international arena. Vietnam supports Malaysia in its role as ASEAN Chair 2025 and comprehensively implementing the ASEAN Community Vision 2045.

Economic and trade cooperation develops positively

One of the bright spots in the Vietnam-Malaysia relationship is economic and trade cooperation. Malaysia is currently Vietnam’s third largest trading partner in ASEAN (after Thailand and Indonesia) and Vietnam’s ninth largest trading partner in the world.

Two-way trade turnover between the two countries has been steadily increasing, reaching 12.5 billion USD in 2021; 14.67 billion USD in 2022; 12.66 billion USD in 2023; 14.2 billion USD in 2024; 4.8 billion USD in the first 4 months of 2025. The two countries are expected to reach the bilateral turnover target of 18 billion USD by 2025.

Vietnam's main exports to Malaysia include phones and components, crude oil, rice and coffee, while Malaysia exports items such as computers and electronic products, machinery and equipment, gasoline, household electrical appliances and components, and chemicals.

According to Vietnamese Ambassador to Malaysia Dinh Ngoc Linh, the two countries possess strategic and complementary strengths that need to be grasped for cooperation, thereby creating more favorable conditions for businesses of the two countries to best access each other's markets, especially in new areas of cooperation with much room for growth such as Halal industry, green economy, innovation, science and technology, digital transformation, and green energy.

In terms of investment, Malaysia is currently the 10th largest investor out of 143 countries and territories investing in Vietnam, with 731 valid projects and a total registered capital of 13 billion USD (focusing on education and training, production, distribution of electricity, gas, water, processing and manufacturing industries). Malaysia has invested in many provinces and cities of Vietnam, including Ho Chi Minh City, followed by Tra Vinh, Hanoi and other localities.

One of the bright spots in Vietnam-Malaysia relations is economic and trade cooperation. (Photo: Vu Sinh/VNA)

Along with economic cooperation, security and defense cooperation between the two countries has also been continuously promoted. The two sides maintain delegation exchanges at all levels and exchange training, experience, and information related to the prevention and combat of terrorism, cybercrime, and transnational crime.

In 2015, the two sides signed an Agreement on Cooperation in the Prevention and Combat of Transnational Crime. This cooperation not only protects national interests but also contributes to maintaining a peaceful and stable environment for the entire Southeast Asian region.

The visit takes place in the context of the Vietnam-Malaysia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership being strongly, comprehensively and firmly developing in all fields.

In addition, bilateral cooperation in the fields of labor, culture, education, tourism, people-to-people exchange, etc. has also recorded many positive results. Regarding education, Vietnam and Malaysia have implemented many cooperation programs in training and developing human resources in the fields of science and technology, economics and educational management. This is one of the strengths in the relationship between the two countries, as both countries have strengths and the need to learn from each other.

Regarding tourism, in 2024, Malaysia welcomed more than 300,000 Vietnamese tourists and nearly half a million Malaysian tourists visited Vietnam. Malaysian Ambassador to Vietnam Dato' Tan Yang Thai commented that this shows the strong connection between the people of the two countries.

This is partly due to the excellent air connectivity between the two countries with more than 160 direct flights between major cities such as Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang in Vietnam and Kuala Lumpur, Johor Bahru, Penang and Kota Kinabalu in Malaysia.

The Vietnamese community in Malaysia currently has more than 30,000 people, serving as a bridge to promote the traditional relationship between the two countries to become better and better.

Effectively implementing the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership

On the basis of good relations, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh's official visit to Malaysia this time is of great significance. According to Vietnamese Ambassador to Malaysia Dinh Ngoc Linh, the visit not only promotes solidarity among ASEAN countries but also demonstrates Vietnam's consistent foreign policy of attaching importance to the friendly neighborly relationship and comprehensive strategic partnership with Malaysia.

The visit takes place in the context of the Vietnam-Malaysia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership being strongly, comprehensively and firmly developed in all areas, from politics, diplomacy, security-defense to economy, tourism, culture and people-to-people exchange. The visit is also a milestone contributing to consolidating the political foundation and adding more momentum to further promote the comprehensive strategic cooperation between the two countries in all areas to develop increasingly strongly and effectively.

Through the visit, the leaders of the two sides will discuss and agree on major orientations and specific measures to implement the newly established Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the two countries, thereby continuing to contribute to strengthening political trust, promoting cooperation in all aspects such as politics, diplomacy, defense, security, economy, trade, investment, labor, culture, tourism, people-to-people exchange... to become more substantive and effective; at the same time, promoting cooperation in potential areas such as science and technology, digital economy, e-government, green economy, circular economy, energy transition, innovative startup network...

Ambassador Dinh Ngoc Linh said that within the framework of the visit, the leaders of the two sides will also share and exchange frankly and trustfully on regional and international issues of mutual concern, and agree on major directions to enhance coordination between the two countries at regional and international forums, especially within the framework of ASEAN and in the context of Malaysia holding the role of ASEAN Chair in 2025, contributing to strengthening intra-bloc solidarity and promoting ASEAN's central role.

According to Malaysian Ambassador to Vietnam Dato' Tan Yang Thai, Malaysia expects Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh's visit to Malaysia to achieve many positive results. This is also an opportunity for the leaders of the two countries to evaluate the implementation of initiatives within the framework of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, including promoting trade-investment cooperation, developing the Halal and oil and gas industries; exploring new areas such as green economy, clean energy...; and enhancing people-to-people exchanges.

Deputy Foreign Minister Do Hung Viet believes that Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh's official visit to Malaysia and attendance at the 46th ASEAN Summit and related Summits in Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) will continue to deepen political trust between the two countries; remove difficulties; propose specific directions and measures to implement the Vietnam-Malaysia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in the coming time, for the benefit of the people of the two countries, for peace, stability and development in the region./.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim witnessed the signing ceremony of cooperation documents between the two countries, July 2023. (Photo: Duong Giang/VNA)

(Vietnam News Agency/Vietnam+)

Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/dua-quan-he-viet-nam-malaysia-phat-trien-xung-dang-voi-tam-voc-moi-post1040412.vnp