| Azlan Othman |
AIMING to bolster bilateral relations, the President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, Tran Dai Quang, and his spouse, Nguyen Thi Hien, arrived for a three-day state visit to Brunei Darussalam yesterday.
Both were welcomed at the Brunei International Airport by the Minister of Education, Pehin Orang Kaya Indera Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Suyoi bin Haji Osman, and his spouse.
Today, His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam and Her Majesty Duli Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Hajah Saleha binti Al-Marhum Pengiran Pemancha Pengiran Anak Haji Mohamed Alam will grant audiences to the visiting president and spouse at the Istana Nurul Iman.
His Majesty will also hold bilateral meeting with Tran Dai Quang and host a state banquet later in the night.
The president is scheduled to visit Sungai Liang Industrial Park (SPARK) and Brunei LNG Sdn Bhd and will also witness the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on economic and trade cooperation as well as cultural alliance.
Both Tran Dai Quang and his spouse will also pay a visit to the Royal Regalia Building. Separately, Nguyen Thi Hien will tour Kampong Ayer.
Tomorrow, the president is scheduled to meet the Brunei business community and will hold a Brunei-Vietnam business forum.
Meanwhile, high level Vietnamese business delegations will make visits to industrial sites and also attend a briefing on DARE (Darussalam Enterprise) on Saturday. The visits will cover MC Biotech Sdn Bhd, CAE Brunei Multi-Purpose Training Centre, Simpor Pharma, Bio-Innovation Corridor Centre, Rimba Digital Junction and Salambigar Industrial Park.
Tran Dai Quang, President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and Nguyen Thi Hien upon arrival at Brunei International Airport, August 26. – DEAN KASSIM
Tran Dai Quang, President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and Nguyen Thi Hien upon arrival at the Brunei International Airport. Also seen in photo are the Minister of Education, Pehin Orang Kaya Indera Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Suyoi bin Haji Osman, and his spouse. – INFOFOTO
According to Vietnam News, the president’s visit to Brunei Darussalam aims to realise foreign policy goals set by the 12th Party Congress and deepen relations with the Sultanate.
Brunei Darussalam and Vietnam established diplomatic ties on February 29, 1992 and since then, both countries have seen regular exchange visits and high-ranking meetings.
Bilateral economic, trade and investment cooperation between both countries has made big strides with two-way trade jumping from $24.2 million in 2010 to $73.7 million in 2015. The figure has already hit $17 million as of June 2016.
Vietnam mainly exports seafood and rice to Brunei while importing chemicals from the country.
As of June 2016, Brunei has run 205 projects valued at more than $2.18 billion in Vietnam, ranking 18th out of 116 countries and territories investing in the country and fourth among other Asean investors, behind Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand.
Vietnam has one project worth $650,000 ongoing in Brunei, specialising in metals and chemicals.
The two countries also hold a lot of potential for cooperation in fisheries, real estate and education-training.
Brunei and Vietnam inked a Memorandum of Understanding on educational cooperation in April 2014, allowing scholarships for Vietnamese students to study in Brunei in areas such as the oil and gas industry and English language.
The two sides have also signed a range of agreements and MoUs on cooperation in tourism, aviation and trade.
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