Second Permanent Secretary of Foreign Affairs of Singapore Chee Wee Kiong (left) and Deputy PM Pham Binh Minh (Source: VNA)
Deputy Foreign Minister Le Hoai Trung and Second Permanent Secretary of Foreign Affairs of Singapore Chee Wee Kiong chaired the ninth political consultation in Hanoi on August 17.
Both sides expressed their satisfaction with the implementation of contents in the bilateral strategic partnership, ranging from politics to economics-trade-investment, national defence-security, education, aviation connectivity, transport, people-to-people exchange, as well as region and global issues.
They agreed to facilitate visits across the State, Government, National Assembly, Party levels and people-to-people exchange, continue linking up the two economies by encouraging investment and trade in the fields of infrastructure, seaport and equitisation of State-owned enterprises.
The two countries will work closely together to launch the construction of the Vietnam-Singapore Industrial Parks, the sixth of its kind in Nghe An and the seventh in Hai Duong while continuing to boost national defence-security partnership and other diverse areas.
Both host and guest consented to pushing educational cooperation forward by providing more Singapore’s scholarships and short-term training courses for Vietnamese Government and Party officials.
Tourism coordination will continue, especially cruise tourism.
Chee Wee Kiong confirmed Singapore’s all possible support to Vietnamese citizens entering the country in line with immigration regulations.
On ASEAN collaboration and the East Sea issue, both sides vowed to partner with other ASEAN member states to successfully build the ASEAN Community.
They underscored ASEAN’s unity and central role in regional cooperation and evolving regional architecture, and shared view that ASEAN needs to raise their common and responsible voice on key regional issues, including the East Sea issue, as well as reach consensus on a Code of Conduct in the East Sea for regional peace, stability, cooperation and development.
As a coordinator for the 2015-2018 tenure, Singapore will reinforce links between ASEAN and China, Chee Wee Kiong stated.
Noting with delight the effective joint work between the two Foreign Ministries, both sides pledged to maintain the annual political consultation mechanism.
The tenth political consultation is slated for 2016 in Singapore.
On the occasion, the two foreign ministries convened their fifth exchange.-VNA
