Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh meets with Sultan of Brunei Haji Hassanal Bolkiah

Welcoming the Sultan to Viet Nam, Prime Minister Pham said that the visit provides an important opportunity for both sides to review progress in bilateral cooperation and chart new orientations to elevate the partnership to a higher and more substantive level.

The two leaders commended the strong achievements recorded under the Viet Nam–Brunei Action Program for 2023–2027 thanks to frequent high-level exchanges, active cooperation mechanisms, and vigorous economic performance. Two-way trade surged to nearly US$671.4 million in 2024—up 165 percent from the previous year—exceeding the target initially set for 2025.

The pair voiced satisfaction with the growing cooperation across key fields, including defense and security, agriculture, fisheries, oil and gas, the Halal industry, tourism and education.

Prime Minister Pham called on both sides to maintain regular high-level contacts and ensure the effective implementation of the Action Program. He called for stronger economic, trade and investment cooperation in potential sectors such as oil and gas, chemicals, Halal food processing, tourism and people-to-people exchanges.

He suggested that Brunei continue supporting Vietnamese enterprises in providing oil and gas services, recognise Viet Nam's Halal certification for exports, and facilitate Vietnamese participation in global supply chains. Viet Nam, he said, stands ready to assist Brunei in ensuring food security and supplying raw materials for Halal production, while the two sides could consider negotiating a potential rice trade agreement.

The Prime Minister also proposed deepening maritime cooperation, particularly in fisheries and information sharing on law enforcement at sea. He reaffirmed Viet Nam's commitment to combating illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing and expressed hope for Brunei's continued support for the country's efforts to develop a sustainable marine economy.

Pham further called for stronger cooperation in culture, sports and education, including stronger links between educational institutions, student exchange programs and joint research initiatives, to deepen mutual understanding between the peoples of the two nations.

Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah welcomed the Prime Minister's proposals and underscored the need to boost cooperation in energy, fisheries, the Halal industry and people-to-people exchanges. He said the agreements signed during his ongo-ing visit would help generate fresh momentum for bilateral relations.

The two leaders agreed to maintain close coordination at regional and international forums, including ASEAN and the UN, and to uphold ASEAN's common stance on major regional issues, particularly the situations in Myanmar and the East Sea, contributing to peace, stability and development in the region and the world./.