National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan (L) meets with Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in Singapore (Photo: VNA) Singapore (VNA) – National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan had a meeting with Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on November 27 as part of her ongoing official visit to Singapore.
The top legislator thanked PM Lee for attending and contributing to the success of the APEC Economic Leaders’ Week that Vietnam hosted earlier this month.
She spoke highly of his support to the progress of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), a deal replacing the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP).
PM Lee showed his delight at the fruitful outcomes of the APEC Economic Leaders’ Week, while lauding Vietnam’s efforts to overcome natural disaster to successfully organise the event.
NA Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan told her host that her visit aims to deepen the strategic partnership between the two countries as well as the two parliaments in particular.
She affirmed Vietnam’s consistent policy of treasuring the development of the strategic partnership with Singapore, proposing that the two sides work harder together to implement the ties.
She suggested that both sides maintain high-level meetings, while strengthening people-to-people contacts to prepare for the celebration of the 45th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic relations in 2018.
She noted that two-way trade has reached nearly 10 billion USD, and Singapore is Vietnam’s third largest foreign investors with total investment over 40 billion USD, adding that the Vietnam-Singapore Industrial Parks have become the symbol of successful and win-win cooperation between the two countries.
Meanwhile, collaboration in security, defence, education-training, tourism, labour has also expanded, she said.
Highlighting the close coordination and cooperation between the two countries at regional and international forums, especially within the ASEAN framework, the NA leader said that Vietnam supports and will work with Singapore in performing the role as ASEAN Chair in 2018 as well as the Coordinator of the ASEAN-China relations.
Regarding the East Sea issue, Ngan stressed that Vietnam highly values Singapore’s stance, expressing her belief that as the ASEAN Chair in 2018, Singapore will continue raising its voice in the issue, and accelerate the building of a Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC).
PM Lee said that Singapore hopes to receive assistance of Vietnam in performing the role as the ASEAN Chair in 2018, adding that Singapore will do its best to deal with existing problems of ASEAN, including the building of the COC.
Singapore will stick to roadmap of building the COC, he said, stressing the consensus among members of the association. It is now the good time to start COC negotiations, he added.
Asserting that economic cooperation potential between the two countries is still high, PM Lee thanked Vietnam for backing Singaporean enterprises.
He proposed that the two sides should open additional direct air routes to boost economic, trade and tourism affiliations and implement signed agreements.-VNA
VNA
