KUALA LUMPUR: Vietnam’s National Assembly (NA) delegation, led by Vice Chairman Nguyen Khac Định, met with Malaysian leaders in Kuala Lumpur. The delegation held discussions with the Speaker of the Malaysian House of Representatives Johari Bin Abdul and the Deputy President of the Senate Nur Jazlan Bin Tan Sri Mohamed.
During the visit, the Malaysian leaders emphasized the importance of strengthening cooperation between the two nations. They proposed establishing connections through enterprises, entrepreneurs, and youth, and suggested creating an integrated supply chain for semiconductor and high-tech manufacturing—a sector Malaysia is actively promoting.
Regarding the East Sea issue, both sides affirmed their commitment to maintaining ASEAN’s unified stance. They agreed to continue working together and with other nations to ensure the effective implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC).
They also emphasized the need to develop an efficient Code of Conduct (COC) that aligns with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), aiming to make the East Sea a zone of peace, cooperation, and shared prosperity.
Vice Chairman Định highlighted that the visit is timed ahead of the 10th anniversary of the strategic partnership between Vietnam and Malaysia in 2025. The visit aims to bolster friendship and cooperation across all sectors and strengthen parliamentary ties.
He praised the robust development of bilateral relations over the past 50 years and noted close coordination at international forums like the United Nations, APEC, and ASEAN. Định urged enhanced collaboration to uphold ASEAN’s unity and centrality and to build a resilient ASEAN Community.
The two sides discussed increasing the signing of cooperation agreements between the Vietnamese NA and the Malaysian House of Representatives and Senate. They also proposed more frequent meetings and exchanges between parliamentarians and parliamentary friendship groups to share legislative experiences and discuss key national issues.
Định underscored the importance of coordination at multilateral forums such as the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and the Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum (APPF). He also called for closer cooperation between the Vietnamese NA Office and the Malaysian Senate Secretariat, particularly in personnel training and experience exchange.
During the visit, Định extended invitations from NA Chairman Tran Thanh Man for the Malaysian leaders to visit Vietnam. He also invited the Deputy President of the Senate and other Malaysian senators to visit Vietnam in the near future.
The delegation’s trip included a visit to FPT Software’s office in Kuala Lumpur, which has shown significant annual revenue growth and earned US$43 million in 2023. The delegation also visited the Vietnamese Embassy and met with members of the Vietnamese community in Malaysia.
Vice Chairman Nguyen Khac Định’s visit, from August 6-9, was the first high-level official visit from Vietnam to Malaysia since 2015. Following this, the delegation is traveling to Brunei from August 9-11 for further discussions.
