HANOI: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob paid a courtesy call on Vietnam President Nguyen Xuan Phuc at the Presidential Palace here on Monday (March 21) afternoon.

       At the meeting, which lasted over 40mins, both parties thanked each other for the good relationship that has been established over the years.

       Ismail Sabri also invited the president to visit Malaysia to strengthen bilateral ties.

       He also praised the Vietnamese officials for the warm hospitality accorded to him and the entire Malaysian delegation.

       Phuc, meanwhile, also hoped Kuala Lumpur-Hanoi ties would continue to be strengthened as both nations prepare to celebrate the 50th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relationship in 2023.

       The Prime Minister and his delegation later paid a courtesy call on the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) general secretary, Nguyen Phu Trong at the CPV headquarters.

       At the meeting, Ismail Sabri said he was confident that his maiden visit to Vietnam would further enhance ties between the two countries.

       The Prime Minister later ended his two-day official visit to Vietnam by paying a courtesy call on the National Assembly chairman, Vuong Dinh Hue at the Parliament Building here.

       "Throughout our stay in Vietnam, we received very warm and friendly treatment from the Vietnamese government,” said Ismail Sabri.

       Hue, meanwhile, said the Vietnamese government was confident the visit would continue to strengthen bilateral ties.

       During the meetings, Ismail Sabri spoke fully in Bahasa Malaysia, which was then translated to English.

       Also present were Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Abdullah, Senior Minister and International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali, Attorney General Tan Sri Idrus Harun and senior government officials.

       Earlier, the Prime Minister was given a red-carpet welcome upon arriving at the Presidential Palace and greeted by his Vietnamese counterpart Pham Minh Chinh.

       The Prime Minister’s maiden visit to Vietnam is upon the invitation of Chinh.

       Ismail Sabri, who arrived on Sunday (March 20), is scheduled to return to Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday (March 22) morning after holding a press conference with the Malaysian media.- Bernama