Party General Secretary and President Nguyen Phu Trong (Photo: VNA) 
The following is a list of selected news summaries reported last night by the Vietnam News Agency.
Party General Secretary To Lam and his spouse attended a special concert at the Concert Hall of the National University of Singapore (NUS)’s Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music (YST) on the evening of March 12 (local time).
Vietnam highly values and seeks to develop its Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with Singapore in a profound and comprehensive manner, said Party General Secretary To Lam while meeting with Speaker of the Parliament of Singapore Seah Kian Peng on March 12.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh proposed the bank and Vietnam sign a new-generation official development assistance (ODA) agreement with a larger financial scale, more preferential interest rates, simpler procedures, and less stringent conditions.
Party General Secretary To Lam touched upon major directions and specific measures to implement the newly-established Comprehensive Strategic Partnership at a meeting with Singaporean President Tharman Shanmugaratnam on March 12.
Party General Secretary To Lam and former PM of Singapore Lee Hsien Loong discussed ways to further deepen bilateral relations in this new phase of development, in line with the freshly established Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. This includes enhancing collaboration between the two ruling parties by promoting delegation exchanges and sharing experience in governance and national development.
Party General Secretary To Lam recommended that Singapore share its expertise with Vietnam in smart urban management, advanced technology, and startup support, while connecting Vietnamese enterprises with markets in the region and the world.
National Assembly (NA) Chairman Tran Thanh Man said Quang Ngai province has ample room to grow further with such advantages as a well-connected transportation system and strong potential for marine economy, tourism, fisheries, and industry.
Vietnam is ready to collaborate with Lebanon to establish effective bilateral and multilateral cooperation mechanisms, according to Vietnamese Ambassador to Egypt and Lebanon Nguyen Huy Dung.
Party General Secretary To Lam delivered a policy speech on Vietnam’s science, technology, innovation and digital transformation policy in a new era, and opportunities for bilateral cooperation, at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy of Singapore on March 12.
The elevation of the Vietnam – Singapore relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, the opening of the AI-Semiconductor Conference, and the WB’s project for Vietnam’s economic growth are some of news highlights on March 12.
This new framework will further enhance political trust and open up vast opportunities for deeper and broader cooperation, making Vietnam-Singapore ties a model for international relations in the new era.
The two leaders agreed that the Strategic Partnership and the Green-Digital Economic Partnership, established in 2013 and 2023 respectively, have brought more substance to bilateral relations. The two leaders decided to elevate Vietnam - Singapore relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
Building on the great achievements over the past five decades since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1973, the two leaders agreed to upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
Sharing Vietnam’s achievements, Thanh noted that women account for nearly one-third of Vietnam’s National Assembly members; 40% of Vietnam’s STEM workforce is female; 26.5% of businesses in the country are owned by women; women account for 68.5% of the country’s labour force, surpassing the global average of 48.7% and 14.4% of Vietnam’s peacekeepers are women, higher than the UN average of 10.2%.
This is the first visit to Singapore by Lam in his position as the CPV General Secretary, marking a new milestone in the bilateral relations, and demonstrating Vietnam’s special attention to elevating relations with Singapore to new heights, in line with Vietnam’s foreign policy.
Economic and trade cooperation has remained a highlight in Vietnam-Singapore relations, especially during the past decade of their strategic partnership (2013-2024).
The Party chief, his spouse and the high-ranking Vietnamese delegation observed a minute of silence to commemorate the great contributions of beloved Uncle Ho to the glorious revolutionary cause of the Party and the nation, expressing their deep gratitude for his selfless sacrifice for the people and the country, and vowing to continue to strive, study and follow President Ho Chi Minh's thought, morality and style.
The orchid naming ceremony is a prestigious diplomatic tradition in Singapore, reserved exclusively for distinguished foreign guests.
The diplomat emphasised that Vietnam highly values its friendly relations with Jamaica. He proposed practical measures to strengthen bilateral ties, including increasing the exchange of delegations at various levels, enhancing coordination in multilateral forums, and expanding collaboration in key areas such as economy and climate change.
