HANOI - The king of Malaysia began a five-day visit to Vietnam today aimed at boosting bilateral relations between the two Asean members.

Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin and his wife Tengku Fauziah Tengku Abdul Rashid were accorded an honour guard and red carpet reception at the presidential palace in the capital by Vietnamese President Tran Duc Luong.

Vietnam's head of state told the royal couple that he anticipated their visit would further consolidate bilateral political and economic relations.

Malaysia is one of the biggest investors in the communist-ruled country.

Before flying south to the former imperial city of Hue on Saturday, the British-educated monarch and former army officer will meet Prime Minister Phan Van Khai and Communist Party head Nong Duc Manh.

His schedule also involves meetings with members of the expatriate Malaysian community and a visit to the mausoleum of Ho Chi Minh, independence hero and founding father of the Communist Party, in Hanoi.

The king will fly to Cambodian capital Phnom Penh from the southern commerical hub of Ho Chi Minh City on Monday.

The 59-year-old was installed as Malaysia's 12th monarch in April this year.

Constitutionally the position of king is rotated every five years among the traditional Malay rulers of the nine states. The previous monarch died of heart failure in November 2001. AFP