Singapore Ambassador: Determined to further develop Vietnam-Singapore relations

Singaporean Ambassador to Vietnam Jaya Ratnam answers questions from the press about the visit and relations between the two countries. (Photo: Viet Duc/VNA)

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At the invitation of Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and his wife, Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and his wife will pay an official visit to Vietnam from March 25-26.

Ahead of the visit, Ambassador of the Republic of Singapore to Vietnam Jaya Ratnam gave an interview to the press about the contents related to the visit and the relationship between the two countries:

- How does the Ambassador assess the purpose and significance of Prime Minister Lawrence Wong's official visit to Vietnam in the context of the two countries having just upgraded their relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership?

Ambassador Jaya Ratnam: On March 25-26, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong made his first official visit to Vietnam since taking office, at the invitation of Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh. As you know, General Secretary To Lam also made his first official visit to Singapore less than 2 weeks ago.

When General Secretary To Lam and Prime Minister Lawrence Wong met in Singapore, we elevated our relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

This is Singapore's first Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with an ASEAN country and Singapore's third Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with major partners.

Therefore, it can be said that the bilateral relationship between the two countries is extremely good. In just 2 weeks, we have exchanged high-level visits and then raised our relationship to the highest level.

Not stopping there, both sides are determined to further promote the development of bilateral relations. That is the reason why the Singaporean Prime Minister came to Vietnam right after the General Secretary's visit; at the same time, it reflects the importance of the relationship as well as the strong momentum of cooperation as the two countries enter a new era.

We are at a critical juncture as this year marks many milestones for both countries. For Singapore, this year we celebrate the 60th anniversary of our Independence Day and the 10th anniversary of the passing of Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew.

As you know, the late Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew and the late Prime Minister Vo Van Kiet were the leaders who laid the foundation for the Vietnam-Singapore relationship, creating momentum for future developments.

For Vietnam, this year you also mark many important milestones, such as the 95th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of Vietnam, the 80th anniversary of National Day, the 50th anniversary of National Reunification Day, and the 30th anniversary of joining ASEAN.

And now, Vietnam is entering a new era of development, rising strongly; facing the opportunity for the economy to take off thanks to industrial modernization, digital transformation and green growth, and deep regional and global integration.

The two countries celebrate these important milestones in an increasingly uncertain and unpredictable world. The open, rules-based multilateral system that Singapore, Vietnam and other ASEAN member states have been pursuing is under severe pressure.

In that context, through the visit, the two countries share strategic goals, strongly support multilateralism, international law as well as free trade. Both countries also have existing interests in connecting and cooperating to maintain ASEAN's central role and promote regional economic integration.

General Secretary To Lam and Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong at a meeting and speaking to the press. (Photo: Thong Nhat/VNA)

Prime Minister Lawrence Wong will have a packed agenda, focusing on substantive discussions with Vietnam's top leaders, following discussions with General Secretary To Lam and Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh.

Although this is Prime Minister Lawrence Wong's first official visit to Vietnam as Prime Minister, he has been in regular contact with your Prime Minister in recent months.

In fact, in 2024, the two Prime Ministers launched the first annual meeting on the sidelines of the ASEAN Summit in Laos.

The main content of General Secretary To Lam's recent visit to Singapore was to reaffirm the two countries' shared commitment to strengthening bilateral cooperation.

Therefore, the Singaporean Prime Minister's schedule in Vietnam also reflects this goal, at the same time, finding solutions so that Singapore and Vietnam can further strengthen their relationship to overcome difficulties together, enhance resilience and rise strongly.

- Could the Ambassador share the significance of the two countries upgrading to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership?

Ambassador Jaya Ratnam: Singapore and Vietnam are two partners that complement each other in terms of available advantages as well as support each other in many areas where both sides are lacking.

The upgrading of bilateral relations to Comprehensive Strategic Partnership is not simply a change in name but also reflects the two countries' very high expectations for this relationship.

This milestone also provides a strategic framework for the Green and Digital Partnership that Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and former Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong initiated in 2023.

Let me highlight two new bilateral initiatives that we are working on. The first is a project to promote the green economy: the Vietnam-Singapore Energy Project (VSEP), with major investments by both sides in offshore wind and submarine cables, which will serve as the foundation for the future ASEAN power grid.

This project will position Vietnam as a green energy hub for ASEAN and beyond. The prospect of power trade cooperation between Singapore and Vietnam was also opened up during the General Secretary’s recent visit, helping the two sides move closer together in this field.

Another important area of cooperation that the two sides are promoting is on carbon credits, which is expected to help both sides achieve their climate commitments as well as create jobs, encourage green investment and sustainable development in Vietnam.

We are working on a Carbon Credit Cooperation Agreement, which is expected to be the first of its kind among ASEAN countries. Therefore, upgrading our relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership will not only bring our economies closer together, but will also benefit the entire region.

The expanded VSIP industrial park in Tan Uyen town, Binh Duong province. (Photo: Vu Sinh/VNA)

- Could the Ambassador share about the prospects for cooperation between the two sides, when the two countries upgrade diplomatic relations to the highest level?

Ambassador Jaya Ratnam: The trade and investment cooperation between the two countries has grown strongly over the years. Since 2024, Singapore has become Vietnam's second largest source of FDI with a total investment capital exceeding 81 billion USD in about 3,800 projects.

If in 2024, Vietnam was Singapore's 11th largest trading partner, by January 2025, Vietnam would have become Singapore's 9th largest trading partner, showing dynamic and strong development in bilateral relations.

As Vietnam enters a new era of high economic growth, Singapore’s involvement and companionship will increase. Singapore is a long-term partner of Vietnam, with the Vietnam-Singapore Industrial Park (VSIP) model celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2026.

VSIP projects have nearly doubled since 2022 - in just 3 years, there have been 9 new VSIP projects. Vietnam - Singapore industrial parks have now developed across the 3 regions of North-Central-South.

Of these, 11 operational VSIP projects have attracted over $22 billion in investment and created 300,000 jobs in Vietnam. As new VSIP projects come online, we will see these numbers increase exponentially.

A testament to Vietnam's attractiveness as an investment destination, the two sides are continuing to plan more similar projects in the future.

Not only expanding in quantity, new projects will be further upgraded, focusing on sustainability and innovation to attract more high-tech FDI capital, creating better jobs for the highly skilled workforce.

The future of the Vietnam-Singapore bilateral relationship is bright. Both countries share common challenges and are committed to supporting each other. The glue that binds the two countries is people-to-people exchanges.

An important point is Singapore's commitment to supporting human resource development in Vietnam. Under the Singapore Cooperation Programme, more than 22,000 Vietnamese officials have been trained, mostly at the Vietnam-Singapore Cooperation Centre in Hanoi.

Over the past two years, we have expanded the scope and scale of our cooperation in the field of human resource development, notably through the launch of the Singapore-Vietnam Innovative Talent Exchange Programme.

During the General Secretary's visit, we agreed to promote training programs in Singapore, through the Memorandum of Understanding signed between the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy and the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics to expand training for senior Vietnamese officials.

There are more and more Vietnamese people travelling, working or studying in Singapore and vice versa. This friendship network will grow stronger and stronger, contributing to promoting the growing bilateral relationship between the two countries.

- Thank you very much, Ambassador./.

(Vietnam+)

Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/dai-su-singapore-quyet-tam-phat-trien-hon-nua-quan-he-viet-nam-singapore-post1022430.vnp