The Vice Chairman of the National Assembly's Foreign Affairs Committee answered the press about the significance and importance of the visit of National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man and his wife to Singapore and Japan.
At the invitation of the Speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of Singapore Seah Kian Peng and his wife, and the President of the House of Councilors of Japan Sekiguchi Masakazu and his wife, the President of the National Assembly Tran Thanh Man and his wife will pay an official visit to the Republic of Singapore and Japan from December 1-7, 2024.
On this occasion, Vice Chairwoman of the National Assembly's Foreign Affairs Committee Le Thu Ha gave an interview to the press about the meaning and importance of the visit.
- Could you share about the importance of the official visit to the Republic of Singapore and Japan by National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man and his wife from December 1-7, 2024?
Deputy Head Le Thu Ha: Singapore is Vietnam's leading important partner in the region. After more than 50 years of establishing diplomatic relations (1973-2024) and 10 years of establishing a strategic partnership (2013-2024), Vietnam-Singapore relations have continuously developed, reaching many important milestones in all fields, Party, National Assembly, Government channels and people-to-people exchanges. The two sides have agreed on the policy of soon upgrading the relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership at the appropriate time.
It can be said that the Vietnam-Japan relationship is a typical pair of relationships for the success of Vietnam's bilateral cooperation with its partners. Japan maintains its position as Vietnam's leading economic partner, the largest ODA partner, the second largest partner in labor cooperation, the third largest in investment and tourism, and the fourth largest in trade. The relationship between the two countries has recently had qualitative developments and is at its best stage with a high level of political trust. The exchange of delegations at all levels, especially at high levels, takes place regularly and closely through all channels of the Party, State, and National Assembly.
Economic cooperation is increasingly close and in-depth. Local cooperation, cultural exchange, people-to-people exchange and human resource cooperation are increasingly close and effective. The two countries have just celebrated the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations and upgraded them to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership for peace and prosperity in Asia and the world (2023).
In that context, the visit of National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man to Singapore and Japan is of special significance to realize Vietnam's foreign policy, promote parliamentary cooperation between our National Assembly and the Singaporean and Japanese parliaments in a practical and sustainable manner, thereby contributing to promoting the Vietnam-Singapore strategic partnership, concretizing the content of the Vietnam-Japan comprehensive strategic partnership, and consolidating the friendship and effective and substantive cooperation between Vietnam and Singapore and Japan in all fields.
- What are the main activities expected of the National Assembly Chairwoman during this official visit to Singapore and Japan, Madam?
Deputy Head Le Thu Ha: During his visit to Singapore, the National Assembly Chairman will hold talks and meetings with all of Singapore's top leaders: Speaker of the National Assembly Seah Kian Peng, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, President Tharman Shanmugaratnam; receive leading Singaporean corporations investing and doing business in Vietnam; meet with the Vietnamese community; visit and talk with officials and staff of the Vietnamese Embassy in Singapore.
In Japan, the National Assembly Chairman will hold talks with Senate President Sekiguchi Masakazu and House of Representatives Speaker Nugaka Fukuhiro; meet with Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru; greet the Emperor and Empress; on behalf of the Party and State leaders, present the President of Vietnam's medal to a number of former Japanese leaders; receive leaders of the Japan-Vietnam Friendship Parliamentarians' Alliance, leaders of major Japanese political parties, the Japan Federation of Economic Organizations, the People's Diplomacy Promotion Council (FEC), a number of former leaders and prestigious politicians who have contributed to the bilateral relationship, leaders of several large Japanese corporations and enterprises, governors of several localities with close relations with Vietnam; meet with officials of the Vietnamese Embassy in Tokyo, the Vietnamese Consulate General in Fukuoka and representatives of the Vietnamese community in Japan.
Notably, during this visit, National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man and Senate President Sekiguchi Masakazu will sign a cooperation agreement between the Vietnamese National Assembly and the Japanese Senate. This is a very important premise to promote the relationship between the two legislative bodies to new heights in the coming years.
It can be said that the visit of the National Assembly Chairman is highly valued and appreciated by the leaders of the two countries, who have directed the agencies of both sides to coordinate very actively and prepare carefully in terms of program and content. Therefore, I believe that the visit of National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man will be a great success, creating a new impetus for the strong development of the relationship between the two countries.
- Through the visit of National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man and the high-ranking delegation of the Vietnamese National Assembly this time, how will parliamentary cooperation between Vietnam and Singapore, Japan as well as cooperation between our localities and their partners be promoted, Madam?
Deputy Head Le Thu Ha: Parliamentary cooperation is an important channel in the overall good partnership and cooperation between Vietnam, Singapore and Japan. In recent times, cooperation between the Vietnamese National Assembly and the Singaporean National Assembly and the Japanese Senate has developed very well in both bilateral and multilateral frameworks.
I believe that, with the contact program and the set goals, the visit of the National Assembly Chairman will contribute to promoting and deepening the cooperative relationship between the three legislative bodies, through promoting delegation exchanges, implementing cooperative activities between the Committees, agencies of the National Assembly, Vietnamese National Assembly deputies with Singaporean and Japanese parliamentarians, young parliamentarians, female parliamentarians; promoting the important bridging role of the Friendship Parliamentarians' Union and Friendship Parliamentarians' Groups in promoting people-to-people exchanges, business cooperation and cooperation between localities; promoting the important role of the three legislative bodies in promoting the supervision of the effective implementation of signed Treaties, Agreements and Agreements; coordinating to perfect institutions, policies, and legal systems, facilitating socio-economic development, supporting businesses of the three countries to expand cooperation and investment in each country; Strengthen close coordination and mutual support at regional and international multilateral forums, organizations and inter-parliamentary forums (IPU, AIPA, ARF, APPF, ASEP...).
In particular, the Cooperation Agreement between the Vietnamese National Assembly and the Japanese House of Councilors signed during the visit will contribute to enhancing the effectiveness of cooperation between the legislative bodies of the two countries, creating favorable conditions for the two sides to carry out bilateral cooperation activities as well as at multilateral forums, contributing to promoting the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership for peace and prosperity in Asia and the world, in accordance with the interests of the people of the two countries.
Local cooperation is one of the bright spots in the bilateral relations between Vietnam-Singapore and Vietnam-Japan. With Singapore, local cooperation between the two countries is strongly promoted. Singaporean investors have participated in most of Vietnam's economic sectors and fields (18/21 sectors) in 51/63 provinces and cities of Vietnam, with Ho Chi Minh City leading (19.3%), Hanoi ranking second (10.8%), Bac Ninh third (7.6%), followed by Binh Duong (capital of VSIP), Long An, Quang Nam. The network of Vietnam-Singapore Industrial Parks (VSIP) is a symbol of successful economic cooperation between the two countries.
With Japan, Vietnamese and Japanese localities have signed more than 110 cooperation documents, establishing about 100 pairs of relations, of which typical pairs are Ho Chi Minh City-Osaka, Nagano; Hanoi-Fukuoka, Tokyo; Da Nang-Sakai, Yokohama; Phu Tho-Nara; Hue-Kyoto; Quang Nam-Nagasaki; Hung Yen-Kanagawa; Hai Phong-Niigata. The lively and in-depth exchanges and delegation exchanges between localities of the two countries are one of the important factors contributing to strengthening cooperation in investment, trade, labor, and people-to-people exchanges between the two countries.
The delegation of the National Assembly Chairman on this official visit to the two countries includes leaders of several localities representing the North, Central and South of Vietnam. With substantive meetings and exchanges, and the active participation of local leaders of Vietnam, Singapore and Japan, I believe that the visit of National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man will not only contribute to promoting bilateral diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Singapore and Japan, but also strengthen connections and promote substantive cooperation between Vietnamese localities and those of Singapore and Japan, bringing concrete benefits to the people and business communities of the three countries.
- Thank you for sharing, Vice Chairwoman of the National Assembly's Foreign Affairs Committee Le Thu Ha./.
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