HANOI: Vietnam rolled out the red carpet for Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim at the Vietnamese Presidential Palace here yesterday as he began his two-day official visit that ends today.
Anwar was received upon arrival by his counterpart Pham Minh Chinh and inspected the guard of honour before the duo proceeded to greet dignitaries, then were introduced to each other’s officials.
The two leaders later attended a photo session before proceeding to the government office for bilateral meetings.
Earlier, Malaysian Ambassador to Vietnam Datuk Tan Yang Thai said the Vietnam-Malaysia relationship is progressing well, and there is still room to expand collaboration between the two nations.
Tan emphasised the significance of Anwar’s visit to Vietnam in an interview with the Vietnam News Agency (VNA), with his visit coinciding with the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
“I hope this visit will be able to further spur the bilateral relations between the two countries, especially in terms of the economy, as there’s so much work that could be done, and both countries could cooperate for mutual benefit,” he added.
Deepening ties: Anwar (right) and Pham inspecting a guard of honour during the welcoming ceremony at the Vietnamese Presidential Palace in Hanoi in conjunction with his two-day visit to Vietnam.
— Bernama
Highlighting the role of the business community in strengthening bilateral relations, Tan said more Malaysian companies will come to Vietnam and look for business opportunities.
According to him, the Vietnamese government has been doing very well in attracting foreign direct investments.
Vietnam has extended tourist e-visas from 30 to 90 days starting Aug 15, he said, stressing that this is an example of efforts in luring foreign investment.
Likewise, Malaysia welcomes Vietnamese investors, adding that organisations like Vingroup has the ability to expand outside Vietnam.
On potential areas of cooperation, Tan said the halal market has not been given due attention in Vietnam.
During a business forum scheduled as part of Anwar’s visit, Vietnamese companies will have the chance to look into the halal concept, he said, adding that the Malaysian side is ready to offer assistance in developing halal products in order to tap into the huge global potential. — Bernama-VNA
