In his speech, Standing Vice Chairman of HCMC People’s Committee Le Thanh Liem noted some highlights of the friendship and cooperation relations between Vietnam and Malaysia in the last 45 years. He said that Vietnam and Malaysia have many similarities in culture, customs. Vietnam-Malaysia cooperation relations have been strengthened after establishing diplomatic relations on March 30 1973 and upgraded to strategic partnership in 2015.

Malaysia now ranks 7th out of countries and territories investing in Vietnam with 562 project worth over US$ 12 billion. In the first 6 months of 2018, bilateral trade between Vietnam and Malaysia reached US$ 6.67 billion up 19,2 % as of the same period. Both sides strive to bring bilateral trade to US$ 15 by 2020.

HCMC is proud of making an important contribution to the well-developed relations between Vietnam and Malaysia. In HCMC, Malaysia ranks 3 out of 98 countries and territories investing in the city with 250 projects worth US$ 4.4 billion.  Apart from economic and political cooperation, Vietnam and Malaysia have strengthened bilateral cooperation in fields of security-national defence, culture, education, labour, etc.

At the ceremony, Malaysian Consul General Sofian Akmal Abd.Karim said in the last 45 years, Vietnam and Malaysia has achieved may important achievements including the establishment of strategic partnership in a common effort to boost cooperation in many fields. In the last 45 years, the trade and investment relations as well as people to people exchanges between Vietnam and Malaysia have been continuously developed and strengthened. In 2017, There were about 247, 000 Vietnamese arrivals to Malaysia and 480,000 Malaysian arrivals to Vietnam. Education cooperation programs and youth exchanges between both countries are regularly organized to strengthen understanding, solidarity and friendship between people of both countries.

At the ceremony, apart from music programs performed by Vietnamese artists, Consulate General of Malaysia in HCMC and partners introduced a fashion collection themed “Batik Flower” – a symbol of friendship between Vietnam and Malaysia.

HCM CITYWEB