VietNamNet Bridge – Minister of Foreign Affairs Pham Binh Minh will pay official visits to these countries from February 6-9.

The visits will be made at the invitation of Thai FM Surapong Tovichakchaikul, Brunei Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Mohamed Bolkiah, and Malaysian FM Anifah Aman.
Mr Minh will have occasion to affirm Vietnam’s consistent policy of respecting ties with other Southeast Asian nations and compare notes on the growth of bilateral relations and issues of mutual concern with his counterparts.

Vietnam-Thailand relations have seen significant progress, especially since Thai PM Yingluck Shinawatra visited Vietnam last Novermber. Both sides have agreed to resume the Joint Cabinet Meeting and other cooperation mechanisms, with a commitment to increasing two-way trade to over US$7 billion in 2012.

Brunei now ranks 12th among 94 foreign investors in Vietnam with US$48.5 billion poured into 124 projects. The two countries will celebrate the 20th anniversary of diplomatic ties in 2012.

Vietnam-Malaysia relations have been strengthened since State President Truong Tan Sang’s visit to the country last year. Malaysia is now Vietnam’s third biggest ASEAN trade partner and also third largest labour market with 90,000 Vietnamese guest workers.

VietNamNet/VOV