Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong highlighted Vietnam's role in Singapore, during talks with Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh at the government headquarters.
During the talks this morning, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh affirmed that the visit of Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong is of great significance in the context of the two countries celebrating the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations and the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the Strategic Partnership, sending a message of strong determination to cooperate to develop to new heights, according to a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong expressed his satisfaction with the development of Vietnam-Singapore relations in recent times, emphasizing that Vietnam is an important strategic partner of Singapore in the region.
The two leaders assessed that the bilateral relationship continues to develop rapidly. In the first 8 months of 2023, Singapore became the largest investor in Vietnam with a total newly registered capital of more than 3.6 billion USD. Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong agreed to consider the possibility of upgrading the bilateral relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership in the coming time.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong shake hands before their meeting on the morning of August 28. Photo: Giang Huy
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh proposed that Singapore facilitate the increase of imports of Vietnamese goods, develop and convert traditional Vietnam-Singapore Industrial Parks (VSIPs) into smart industrial parks, and expand investment in key and priority sectors of Vietnam. The Prime Minister also hoped that Singapore would support Vietnam in developing industries serving manufacturing sectors such as textiles, wood processing, shipbuilding, industrial infrastructure development, chemicals, petrochemicals, liquefied natural gas, etc.
The two sides agreed to strengthen cooperation in the fields of defense and security by promoting the signing and effective implementation of cooperation agreements, promoting dialogue mechanisms, and coordinating in multilateral mechanisms and activities.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh proposed that Singapore help Vietnam build and operate a large database center to improve the effectiveness of the fight against crime, especially high-tech crime. The Prime Minister also hopes to soon promote the connection of Vietnam's system with the electronic identification and authentication system in Singapore to create more favorable conditions for citizens of the two countries in the process of traveling, living and working.
The two sides emphasized the importance of freedom and safety of navigation and aviation, ensuring full and effective implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC), creating a favorable environment, and striving to build a substantive and effective Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC), in accordance with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
After the talks, the two Prime Ministers witnessed the signing of seven documents on areas such as innovation, skills development, education, sustainable infrastructure development, and economy, including the Exchange of Letters on Upgrading the Vietnam-Singapore Economic Connectivity Framework Agreement.
General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong received Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong at the Party Central Committee Headquarters on August 28. Photo: Giang Huy
During a meeting with Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong at the Party Central Committee Headquarters today, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong affirmed the importance of strengthening relations with Singapore, a neighboring country with an important position in the region and internationally, and with development experience in many fields.
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong emphasized that the relationship between the two countries has developed strongly and deeply, expanding into many new areas and Singapore attaches importance to continuing to promote relations with Vietnam.
Singapore is Vietnam 's leading economic partner in the region. The two countries are always among each other's 15 largest trading partners, with Vietnam being Singapore's 12th largest trading partner and Singapore being Vietnam's 15th largest trading partner. The total trade turnover between Vietnam and Singapore in 2022 is expected to reach about 9.15 billion USD, an increase of 11.57% compared to 2021.
Singapore leads ASEAN and ranks second in the world in terms of investment capital in Vietnam with 3,273 projects, total capital of 73.4 billion USD.
Vietnam - Singapore Industrial Parks (VSIP) are a symbol of economic cooperation between the two countries with 14 VSIPs in 10 provinces and cities of Vietnam, attracting 18.7 billion USD in total investment capital for about 866 projects, creating nearly 300,000 jobs.
Vnexpress.net
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