Public opinion highly appreciates General Secretary To Lam's visit to Singapore

Singaporean Prime Minister and Secretary-General of the People's Action Party of Singapore (PAP) Lawrence Wong welcomed General Secretary To Lam. (Photo: Thong Nhat/VNA)

The official visit to Singapore (March 11-13) by General Secretary To Lam was a great success with the most notable result being the upgrading of the two countries' relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, which is considered by public opinion to be a historic milestone in the Vietnam-Singapore relationship, creating a strong driving force to promote the two countries' relationship to become increasingly deeper, more substantive and effective in all fields.

At a meeting with General Secretary To Lam (March 12), Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong shared that this is the first Comprehensive Strategic Partnership that his country has established with an ASEAN country.

The two sides agreed to set out major directions and assign relevant agencies, ministries and sectors to develop an action program to implement the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

From there, develop the relationship in a practical and effective manner, focusing on enhancing political trust through delegation exchanges at all levels, especially high-level ones, while expanding and deepening economic, trade and investment cooperation, as well as promoting cooperation in digital transformation, innovation, green economy and clean energy.

General Secretary To Lam speaks at the Vietnam-Singapore Business Forum. (Photo: Thong Nhat/VNA)

In addition, the two sides agreed to strengthen cooperation in the fields of defense-security, culture, education, tourism and people-to-people exchange.

On the same day, March 12, on his personal Facebook page, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong wrote that General Secretary To Lam's visit had special significance as Singapore celebrated its 60th anniversary of independence and Vietnam celebrated its 80th anniversary of founding.

The announcement of the upgrade of bilateral relations affirms the two countries' shared commitment to cooperation in emerging areas such as renewable energy, carbon credits and digital transformation.

Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said he will visit Vietnam at the end of March to strengthen bilateral relations and seek new cooperation opportunities.

Sharing with VNA reporters in Singapore, Professor Bilveer Singh, National University of Singapore, expressed that after a long journey since the two countries established diplomatic relations in 1973, the relationship between the two countries has developed into a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. That symbolizes the level of improved relations, the level of connection and closeness that the two countries have achieved. It is a strategic and comprehensive relationship in terms of politics, economics, society, culture, psychology, technology, etc.

Despite some differences, the two countries have much in common, especially politically and economically.

Meanwhile, many news agencies and newspapers in Singapore such as Straits Times, CNA, Business Times... reported extensively on General Secretary To Lam's visit, emphasizing the growing political trust and the fact that Vietnam and Singapore upgraded their relationship to Comprehensive Strategic Partnership as a historic milestone in the relationship between the two countries.

General Secretary To Lam witnessed the exchange of cooperation documents between businesses of the two countries. (Photo: Thong Nhat/VNA)

Singapore and Vietnam have announced the upgrade of their bilateral relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, underscoring their commitment to deepening cooperation in emerging areas, including the digital economy, renewable energy and carbon credits, CNA reported.

"Both leaders reaffirmed the good bilateral relations, underpinned by regular high-level exchanges and close economic links," CNA quoted a statement from Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs as saying.

The two leaders agreed on the importance of bilateral efforts and how both sides can contribute to regional initiatives such as the ASEAN Digital Economy Framework Agreement and the ASEAN Power Grid.

The Straits Times emphasized that Singapore has upgraded its bilateral relations with Vietnam to the highest level of Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, a historic milestone in the relationship between the two countries, and quoted Prime Minister Lawrence Wong as saying, “This reflects the high level of trust between Singapore and Vietnam, the good work we have done together, and the potential to do more.”

In addition, some other Singaporean newspapers and websites such as Business Times, singaporelawwatch.sg... also published news and articles highlighting the deepening of bilateral relations between Vietnam and Singapore through upgrading relations to Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, bringing the relationship between the two countries into a "new era", expanding and strengthening cooperation in the fields of security and defense as well as emerging fields such as clean energy, digital economy, green economy./.

(Vietnam News Agency/Vietnam+)

Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/du-luan-danh-gia-cao-chuyen-tham-singapore-cua-tong-bi-thu-to-lam-post1020463.vnp