Malaysia and several other countries have expressed strong support for the recent phone call between General Secretary To Lam and U.S. President Donald Trump, commending Vietnam's approach to international cooperation.

On the afternoon of April 6, at the request of Malaysia, Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh held a phone conversation with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to discuss bilateral relations and share views on emerging regional and international issues.

Prime Minister Anwar informed his Vietnamese counterpart that Malaysia, in its role as ASEAN Chair in 2025, will host the ASEAN Economic Ministers’ Meeting on April 10.

The event aims to review the current situation and explore measures to enhance intra-bloc connectivity and cooperation, especially in light of the United States’ newly announced tariff policy.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh briefed Prime Minister Anwar on Vietnam’s recent efforts to engage with the U.S., notably the phone conversation between General Secretary To Lam and U.S. President Donald Trump on April 4.

During the call, the Vietnamese and U.S. leaders discussed ways to resolve economic challenges and promote fair, sustainable trade that balances the interests of both sides.

Among the topics discussed was the potential for Vietnam to reduce its import tariffs on U.S. goods to 0%, while requesting reciprocal tariff treatment from the U.S. on Vietnamese exports.

The two sides also proposed continuing talks to reach a bilateral agreement to formalize these commitments. Deputy Prime Minister Ho Duc Phoc has traveled to the U.S. to negotiate the matter in detail.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh welcomed Malaysia’s initiative to host the ASEAN Economic Ministers’ Meeting and confirmed that Vietnam would send the Minister of Industry and Trade to participate.

The Malaysian Prime Minister shared that Malaysia, along with several other countries in the region, welcomed and appreciated the phone call between General Secretary To Lam and U.S. President Donald Trump, expressing agreement with and support for Vietnam’s approach.

He also briefed Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on Malaysia’s efforts as ASEAN Chair to address the situation in Myanmar, including the Malaysian Foreign Minister’s visit to Myanmar on April 5. Malaysia’s position emphasizes promoting dialogue and maintaining unity and cohesion within ASEAN in resolving the Myanmar issue.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh welcomed Malaysia’s efforts in this regard, especially the country’s effective support, responsible stance, and active role in fostering ASEAN’s coordinated actions to help Myanmar recover from the recent earthquake.

He also shared details of Vietnam’s swift support measures for Myanmar following the disaster. Vietnam pledged to continue working closely with Malaysia and other ASEAN member states and is ready to act as a mediator to support national dialogue and reconciliation efforts in Myanmar.

Both Prime Ministers agreed to maintain dialogue, deepen trust, and coordinate measures to further advance the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, contributing to peace, stability, and prosperity in both countries, the region, and the world.

Tran Thuong