Hai Phong (VNA) – A delegation from the Singaporean Embassy in Vietnam and young leaders from the city state visited and held a working session with officials of northern Hai Phong city on April 23 to explore new avenues of cooperation and strengthen bilateral ties.
The delegation was led by Ambassador Jaya Ratnam and Ho Moon Shin, Director of the Communications and Engagement Group at the Singaporean Ministry of Health.
During the meeting, Permanent Deputy Secretary of the municipal Party Committee Do Manh Hien and Vice Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Le Anh Quan reaffirmed the robust comprehensive strategic partnership between Vietnam and Singapore, which is partly mirrored in the growing collaboration between Hai Phong and Singapore.
In recent years, Hai Phong and Singapore have made significant strides in cooperation across various fields such as delegation exchanges, investment, trade, education, and training. Currently, with 96 projects totalling 3.7 billion USD, Singapore ranks fifth in the number of investment projects and third in total capital among the 39 countries and territories investing in Hai Phong.
One highlight of bilateral educational cooperation is KinderWorld International Group’s Singapore International School in Hai Phong, which serves children of foreign experts, investors, and workers as well as local students seeking top-tier international education.
Hien expressed confidence that the delegation’s visit will help forge connections between Hai Phong and Singapore’s next-generation leaders. He reaffirmed the city’s commitment to fostering practical and mutually beneficial initiatives, particularly in the fields where the two parties have shared interests and strengths in, helping relations between Hai Phong and Singaporean partners grow further in the time to come.
Ambassador Ratnam echoed the view, noting that Singapore considers Hai Phong a crucial partner, especially in port development and investment. He spotlighted the Vietnam – Singapore Industrial Park (VSIP) as a standout example of successful investment collaboration.
The diplomat also lauded Hai Phong’s visionary development strategy, especially the expansion of Lach Huyen deep-water port. He suggested potential areas in which Singapore could further support Hai Phong such as the development of a next-generation free trade zone and the continued expansion of the VSIP to draw more foreign investment.
Young Singaporean leaders raised insightful questions about foreign investment attraction, green economy development, and climate change response. City leaders and department representatives responded in detail, reinforcing Hai Phong’s commitment to sustainable growth and international collaboration./.
