State President Nguyen Xuan Phuc (R) and Singaporean Minister for Foreign Affairs Vivian Balakrishnan (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – State President Nguyen Xuan Phuc haslauded the widespread and effective development of Vietnam – Singapore friendshipduring a reception in Hanoi on June 21 for Singaporean Minister for ForeignAffairs Vivian Balakrishnan.
He hailed Singapore as the top investor in Vietnam since 2020among 70 countries and territories investing in the country.
Vietnam will continue creating favourable conditions andencouraging Singaporean firms to do business in the country, he said.
Balakrishnan, for his part, conveyed the Singaporean President andPrime Minister’s regards to Phuc, and wished to welcome the Vietnamese leaderto Singapore soon.
He affirmed the Singaporean Government’s consistent stance onfurther developing strategic partnership with Vietnam. He also hailed Vietnam’ssuccess in fulfilling the dual goals of controlling COVID-19 pandemic andmaintaining socio-economic development, becoming one of a few nations to recordpositive growth last year with an open economic environment and a trustworthydestination for Singaporean investors.
Highlighting commitment to working closely with Vietnam toensure sustainable economic recovery after the pandemic, the guest proposedseveral measures to boost bilateral ties, including establishing a workinggroup to discuss digital partnership platform and the mutual recognition ofcoronavirus vaccination certificates.
President Phuc suggested both sides facilitate exchanges at all levelsin suitable forms amid the pandemic, and proposed ways to effectively realisethe Vietnam – Singapore economic connectivity agreement.
According to him, the two countries should enhance cooperationin fields of potential and demand such as renewable energy, petrochemicals, liquified naturalgas, high-tech agriculture and support industry, and expand joint work to digital economy and transformation, e-commerce and smart urban development.
He called for tapping advantages of free trade agreements,especially the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-PacificPartnership and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership while stepping up cooperation and information sharing within the framework of ASEAN initiatives oncircular economy to ensure green and sustainable development.
The host suggested Singapore continue assisting Vietnam inhigh-quality human resources training.
The Singaporean minister pledged to push forward fields of Vietnam’sinterest, including trade, investment, digital economy, pandemic response and access to vaccines, as well as offer mutual support in multilateral andregional mechanisms.
On the East Sea issue, he stated that Singapore attachesimportance to ensuring peace, stability, maritime and aviation security andfreedom in the East Sea based on rules, including the 1982 Untied NationsConvention on the Law of the Sea.
The Singaporean Foreign Ministry will actively partner with the Vietnamesecounterpart to follow leaders’ directions for the sake of bilateral strategicpartnership.
On the occasion, the host conveyed his regards to Singaporean PresidentHalimah Yacob and Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, and wished to welcome them toVietnam soon./.
