(VOV) - President Truong Tan Sang on Tuesday began a trip to Brunei and Myanmar to tighten ties of friendship and cooperation with these two nations.
President Sang’s visit to Brunei coincides with the 20th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties which have developed strongly since their establishment in 1992. The two nations have exchanged a number of high-ranking visits - a visit by Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung in 2007, a visit by King Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah to Hanoi to attend the ASEAN Summits in 2010, and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh’s visit in February.
No effort has been spared to boost cooperation in economics, trade, and investment. Brunei ranks 12th among the 129 foreign investors in Vietnam, with a total of 129 projects worth 4.9 billion USD. Vietnam currently has one project in Brunei worth 650,000 USD. Vietnam and Brunei still have just modest cooperation in education, culture, and tourism, mainly through general cooperation frameworks.
Regarding defence cooperation, Vietnam and Brunei have exchanged military delegations at various levels to increase understanding, build trust. and study cooperation opportunities for mutual benefit. The two countries signed a memorandum of understanding on defence cooperation in 2005 and established defence attaché offices in 2010. The countries have closely cooperated at such forums as the ASEAN Regional Forum, Interpol, ASEANAPOL, ASEAN Chiefs of Police, and the ASEAN Senior Officials Meeting On Transnational Crime.
On Thursday, following his visit to Brunei, President Sang will make a 3-day state visit to Myanmar. In the ASEAN bloc, Vietnam-Myanmar relations have flourished, with two-way trade reaching 167 million USD in 2011 and nearly 160 million USD by September, 2012. Despite trade fairs and Vietnam Airlines opening direct air routes, overall relations in economics, trade, and investment have fallen short of the potential. Vietnam and Myanmar are promoting the idea of pairing cities and provinces. For example, Vietnam’s southern province of Ba Ria Vung Tau has been encouraged to cooperate with Myanmar’s state of Tauiathayi in fishing and aquaculture, and An Giang province plans to work with Ayeyarwaddy in water rice cultivation and seafood processing. Although Ho Chi Minh City and Yagoon have signed many cooperation agreements, their bilateral cooperation remains modest.
Sang’s upcoming visit to Myanmar will offer opportunities for leaders of the two countries to discuss ways to actualize their determination to boost multi-sectoral cooperation.
Anh Huyen