Opening up new opportunities for Vietnam-Brunei cooperation

President Luong Cuong and Brunei Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah at APEC 2025 in the Republic of Korea. (Photo: LAM KHÁNH/VNA)

With the absolute and comprehensive leadership of King Haji Hassanal Bolkiah, the situation in Brunei is basically stable. Economic growth tends to recover, forecast to increase from 2.4% to 3.4% in 2025, while inflation is assessed at a low level. Possessing large oil resources, Brunei's economy develops with the strength of exporting crude oil and natural gas. Brunei emphasizes the continued development of petroleum products in the coming time, aiming to become a center of the petroleum and chemical industry in the region. Brunei also focuses on diversifying the economy, prioritizing the development of science and technology, agriculture, logistics, tourism, etc.

In terms of foreign affairs, Brunei continues to pursue an autonomous foreign policy, balancing relations with major countries, and wishing to strengthen relations with neighboring countries. Brunei focuses on promoting an active role in ASEAN and the United Nations, promoting compliance with international law and regional development to ensure sovereignty, prosperity and interests of the country. Since establishing diplomatic relations on February 29, 1992 and upgrading relations to Comprehensive Partnership in March 2019, Vietnam and Brunei have made constant efforts to deepen bilateral relations, substantively, and cooperate effectively in many fields. Political cooperation has been continuously strengthened. The two sides maintain high-level and all-level contacts, most recently the official visit to Brunei in February 2023 by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh. Ministries, branches, agencies and enterprises of the two countries closely coordinate to effectively implement the Action Program to deploy the Vietnam-Brunei Comprehensive Partnership for the 2023-2027 period.

In the flow of cooperation between the two countries, Vietnam-Brunei economic relations have recorded many positive results. In 2024, bilateral trade turnover reached more than 671 million USD, an increase of about 165% compared to 2023. Vietnam mainly exports seafood and rice to Brunei, while importing mainly crude oil and chemicals. In the first 5 months of 2025, bilateral trade between the two countries reached 225.5 million USD. Brunei ranked 28th in the list of countries investing in Vietnam, with 153 projects in effect. Cooperation between the two countries in the fields of defense, security, oil and gas, Halal, education, culture and people-to-people exchange continues to be strengthened. The two countries continue to closely coordinate their stances at regional and international forums...

In the context of the good development of the Vietnam-Brunei Comprehensive Partnership, the State visit to Vietnam by Sultan of Brunei Darussalam Haji Hassanal Bolkiah continues to contribute to consolidating and deepening political trust, promoting multifaceted cooperation between the two countries, including politics-diplomacy, defense-security, economy, trade, investment, education, culture, Halal, people-to-people exchange... This is also an opportunity for the two countries to continue exchanging stances on regional and international issues of mutual concern, including the East Sea issue, building ASEAN solidarity, strengthening intra-bloc cooperation, promoting the central role in handling strategic issues in the region, as well as enhancing cooperation at the United Nations, exploiting the potential and opportunities from the Free Trade Agreements that the two countries participate in.

Welcoming the Sultan of Brunei Darussalam Haji Hassanal Bolkiah on a State visit, Vietnam continues to implement its foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, diversification and multilateralization of foreign relations, proactive and active international integration comprehensively, deeply and effectively. Vietnam reaffirms its consistent policy of always attaching importance to developing relations with ASEAN member countries, including Brunei, one of Vietnam's important partners. The success of the visit will contribute to strengthening and promoting the effectiveness of the cooperation agreement reached between the two countries' senior leaders.

Wishing the State visit to Vietnam by Sultan of Brunei Darussalam Haji Hassanal Bolkiah a great success, opening more doors for cooperation in the relationship between Vietnam and Brunei, bringing the bilateral relationship to continue to develop in an increasingly substantive and effective direction, contributing to peace, cooperation and development in the region and the world.

PEOPLE

Source: https://nhandan.vn/mo-ra-co-hoi-moi-cho-hop-tac-viet-nam-brunei-post926870.html