Southeast Asia Information Port (www.dnyxxg.com) – At the invitation of Vietnamese President Luong Cuong, Brunei Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah will pay a state visit to Vietnam from November 30 to December 2, 2025, injecting new momentum into the comprehensive partnership established between the two countries in 2019.
During the visit, the Sultan of Brunei attended a welcoming ceremony and held talks with Luong Cuong. He also met separately with General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam To Lam, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, and National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man, reaching broad consensus on bilateral cooperation and regional issues.
The leaders of both countries expressed satisfaction with the progress of the comprehensive partnership and agreed to effectively implement the "Vietnam-Bungai Cooperation Action Plan 2023-2027," strengthen cooperation in multiple fields such as politics, defense, and trade, and deepen coordination within multilateral frameworks.
I. Continuously Strengthening Political Mutual Trust
Both sides pledged to consolidate political mutual trust through high-level visits and will jointly plan activities to commemorate the 35th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations in 2027. The two countries also acknowledged the effectiveness of the Joint Committee on Bilateral Cooperation (JCBC) mechanism chaired by their foreign ministers, which will revitalize various specialized cooperation mechanisms.
II. Practical Cooperation in Defense and Security
Based on existing defense cooperation memorandums, the two countries will deepen cooperation in areas such as military training, maritime security, and cybersecurity, and explore potential cooperation between the Vietnam Coast Guard and Brunei's maritime law enforcement agencies.
Both sides will strengthen coordination within the ASEAN defense mechanism, adhere to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, and maintain regional maritime stability; they will also focus on areas such as drug trafficking and cybercrime, deepening cooperation in combating transnational crime.
III. Enhancing the Quality and Efficiency of Economic and Trade Cooperation
Significant progress has been made in economic and trade cooperation. Bilateral trade reached US$670 million in 2024, achieving the US$500 million target for 2025 ahead of schedule. The two countries have set a new target of doubling trade by 2035, which will promote the diversification of import and export goods.
Both sides will focus on promoting cooperation in agriculture, forestry, and fisheries, making full use of regional free trade agreements to tap the potential of rice trade; Vietnam will provide facilitation for the Brunei Investment Agency (BIA), and Brunei welcomes Vietnamese enterprises to participate in areas related to Vision 2035.
Digital economy and green transformation have become new directions, while promoting mutual recognition of halal certification and joint ventures in the agricultural and aquatic industries. Brunei highly recognizes Vietnam's efforts to combat illegal fishing.
IV. Expanding Energy Cooperation
Both sides will deepen cooperation in the oil and gas sector, promote breakthroughs in cooperation between Vietnam Oil and Gas Group (PVN) and Brunei Energy Services Company (BEST), and welcome PV Drilling to expand its business in Brunei.
Simultaneously, they will expand cooperation in energy transition, seizing green energy opportunities through expert exchanges and project investments.
V. Strengthening the Foundation through People-to-People Exchanges
In the education sector, they will strengthen exchanges between teachers and students and scientific research cooperation. Brunei welcomes its universities to offer Vietnamese language courses; both sides plan to optimize air connectivity, explore the establishment of a Vietnamese-Chinese Friendship Association, and enhance the level of people-to-people exchanges.
VI. Multilateral Collaboration for Development
Both countries support multilateralism. Brunei explicitly supports Vietnam's presidency of APEC in 2027 and CPTPP in 2026, and will jointly promote the implementation of free trade agreements such as RCEP.
Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to ASEAN centrality and the implementation of the ASEAN Community Vision 2025, deepening cooperation in areas such as digitalization and climate change.
Regarding maritime security, both countries adhered to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, pledged to resolve disputes peacefully, promoted the implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC), and looked forward to the early conclusion of the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea (COC).
VII. Solidifying Achievements Through Cooperation Documents
During the visit, the two countries signed three core cooperation documents:
1. Memorandum of Understanding between the Governments of Vietnam and Brunei on Maritime Cooperation;
2. Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Vietnam and the Ministry of Primary Resources and Tourism of Brunei on the Hotline for Combating IUU Fishing;
3. Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Vietnam and the Ministry of Primary Resources and Tourism of Brunei on Cooperation in Aquaculture.
This visit marks a new stage in the comprehensive partnership between Vietnam and Brunei and will contribute to ASEAN integration and regional stability. (End)
