PM Ismail Sabri begins two-day visit to Vietnam

HANOI: Vietnam today rolled out the red carpet to welcome Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob who is on a two-day official visit to the ASEAN member.

Ismail Sabri was accorded an official welcoming ceremony at the Presidential Palace here where he was greeted on arrival by his Vietnamese counterpart Pham Minh Chinh.

The national anthems of both countries, Malaysia's "Negaraku" and Vietnam's "Tien Quan Ca" were played before he was accompanied by Chinh to inspect a guard-of-honour.

Both leaders then proceeded to the Prime Minister's Office for a photo session at the lobby of the Government Office.

After the session, the two prime ministers proceeded to a meeting room to witness of exchange of documents.

The documents are memorandum of understanding on Legal Cooperation Activities and on Recruitment, Employment and Repatriation of Workers, a Letter of Intent (LOI) on cooperation in diplomatic training and Malaysian National News Agency (BERNAMA) and Vietnam News Agency Agreement on Professional Cooperation.

Later. Ismail Sabri and his delegation will attend an official lunch hosted by Chinch at the Government Office.

In the evening, the Prime Minister is scheduled to hold separate meetings with President of Vietnam Nguyen Xuan Phuc, Secretary-General of the Communist Party of Vietnam Nguyen Phu Trong and Chairman of the National Assembly, Vuong Dinh Hue.

The Prime Minister's maiden official visit to Vietnam is at the invitation of Chinch.

Ismail Sabri will leave for Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday morning after holding a press conference with the Malaysian media.

-- BERNAMA