Malaysian Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry Tengku Datuk Seri Utama Zafrul in an interview with the Vietnam News Agency's resident correspondents. (Photo: VNA)In an interview granted to the Vietnam News Agency(VNA)’s correspondents in Kuala Lumpur ahead of Malaysian Prime Minister AnwarIbrahim’s official visit to Vietnam from July 20-21, the minister said he willaccompany the PM with the aim of promoting trade and investment ties betweenthe two countries.
He stressed that Vietnam and Malaysia are major tradepartners in ASEAN, adding for Vietnam, Malaysia ranks fourthamong other ASEAN member nations.
In FDI, Malaysia is Vietnam’s third biggest investorin the region, and ample room remains for the two countries to strengthen theircollaboration in both investment and trade, especially the export and import ofagricultural and aquatic products.
Apart from agriculture, the two countries should cooperatein the green and digital economy, in which both are pouring investments, hesaid, suggesting they make preparations to access markets outside ASEAN.
Regarding Halal products, Zafrul said the twocountries should work together in exporting them to not only ASEAN but also othermarkets worldwide.
The minister expressed his belief that there aresubstantial cooperation opportunities for Vietnamese and Malaysian enterprises,saying health care and cosmetics would be taken into account, but agriculturalproducts and food should be top priorities.
According to Zafrul, representatives from the MalaysiaExternal Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE) and the Malaysian InvestmentDevelopment Authority (MIDA) will also visit Vietnam on this occasion. They arescheduled to hold working sessions with Vietnamese businesses that targetexports to Malaysia.
The official said Malaysia hopes Vietnamese businesseswill consider it the global hub for Halal product export, noting his ministry willhost the annual Malaysia International Halal Showcase in September, with theparticipation of numerous domestic and foreign companies./.
VNA
