KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia and Vietnam have identified two major initiatives to strengthen their halal industry cooperation through a new industrial park and regional council.
Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha welcomed Malaysia’s proposal to establish a halal industrial park in Vietnam during his official visit.
He noted this partnership would combine Malaysia’s five decades of halal certification expertise with Vietnam’s strong agricultural production capabilities.
“Malaysia holds a very important position globally in halal production, from manufacturing to the export of halal products,“ Ha stated during a joint press conference with Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
Vietnam confirmed its participation in the proposed ASEAN Halal Council, which will be led by Malaysia and neighbouring countries within the region.
“We agree with the Deputy Prime Minister that in ASEAN, we are going to establish the ASEAN Halal Council,“ Ha added.
The council will enable ASEAN countries to produce halal products with regional certification and standards for global markets.
Ha described Malaysia-Vietnam relations as a model of cordial friendship and mutual partnership, now elevated to the highest diplomatic level.
Both countries have established a Strategic Comprehensive Partnership, reflecting their strong bilateral ties.
The leaders also discussed enhancing trade and investment through their Intergovernmental Committee’s action plan.
They aim to increase bilateral trade volume from the current 10 billion US dollars to 18 billion US dollars in the near future.
The 30-minute meeting between Ha and Zahid covered Malaysia’s readiness to assist Vietnam in halal sector development through Jakim certification and training programs. – Bernama