Singapore (VNA) – The Vietnam – Singapore ties are expected to witness a new breakthrough as both nations are preparing to celebrate significant milestones this year – Vietnam’s 80th National Day and Singapore’s 60th Independence Day, according to Member of Parliament, Mayor of North East District Desmond Choo.
He told the Vietnam News Agency that the bilateral relations are advancing towards a crucial development phase, with efforts having been made to consolidate the people-to-people ties and enhance economic and political cooperation. Singapore has made substantial investments in Vietnam, including the Vietnam – Singapore Industrial Parks which have created opportunities for Singaporean and ASEAN investors in the country.
Both countries aim to elevate the bilateral relations, particularly in the domains of technology, digital partnerships, and renewable energy which are critical issues not only for the two ASEAN nations but also for the whole region.
Desmond expressed his hope that Vietnam and Singapore could work together to handle common challenges and develop stronger solutions, contributing to sustainable development for countries throughout the region.
Touching on the areas that the two countries could focus to promote future cooperation potential, he suggested strengthening people-to-people diplomacy, helping people from both countries, across various levels from senior officials to students, to gain deeper understanding of each other's culture and business practices.
He added that the second major area where Vietnam and Singapore could enhance cooperation is technology and digitalisation, expressing his hope for increased collaboration with Vietnamese companies and support for Singaporean businesses to expand operation into Vietnam to leverage the country’s abundant human resources, especially in the technology sector./.

See more

Party chief attends Vietnam – Indonesia business dialogue
Party General Secretary To Lam expressed his hope that Indonesian businesses will continue to grow and stay among the largest investors in Vietnam. He encouraged them to leverage their strengths and seize opportunities based on equality, mutual respect, and shared benefits, in alignment with the strategic relations between the two countries.

NA Standing Committee convenes 43rd session
The two-and-a-half day session follows the significant structural changes carried out after the 9th extraordinary session of the legislature, with the Council for Ethnic Affairs and multiple parliamentary committees having quickly stabilised their operation.

Vietnamese intellectuals in Switzerland optimistic about state apparatus streamlining
Streamlining the administrative apparatus, as directed by General Secretary To Lam, provides an opportunity to select competent, dedicated, and moral officials to improve the political system's efficiency.

☀️ Morning digest on March 10
The following is a list of selected news summaries reported last weekend by the Vietnam News Agency.

Party leader attends concert marking 70 years of Vietnam – Indonesia diplomatic ties
The concert was a special event within the framework of Party General Secretary To Lam's state visit to Indonesia and official visit to the ASEAN Secretariat.

Party General Secretary receives leaders of large Indonesian businesses
Vietnam is committed to creating the best possible conditions for foreign businesses, including Indonesian enterprises, to invest and operate stably and sustainably in the country, said Party General Secretary To Lam.

Party chief meets Vietnamese community in Indonesia
Party General Secretary To Lam commended the Vietnamese community in Indonesia who, though smaller than in some other countries, have worked diligently, achieved business success, and made positive contributions to their host society.

NA Standing Committee to commence 43rd session on March 10
The 2024 land rent reduction will be among the issues to be discussed at the 43rd session of the NA Standing Committee.

PM chairs conference of Standing Board of Government’s Party Committee
Apart from announcing the Politburo's decisions on the personnel of the Government’s Party Committee for the 2020–2025 tenure, the conference looked into preparations for Party congresses at all levels leading up to the first congress of the Committee for 2025–2030.

2025 to be a dynamic year for Vietnam – Malaysia friendship
Activities of the Malaysia – Vietnam Friendship Association (MVFA) in 2025 carry significance as Vietnam is marking its 80th anniversary of independence and 50th anniversary of the national reunification, while the two nations are celebrating the first year of their comprehensive strategic partnership and Malaysia is taking on the ASEAN Chairmanship.

Party chief’s ASEAN Secretariat visit reaffirms Vietnam’s commitment to bloc: Diplomat
Party General Secretary To Lam's visit to the ASEAN Secretariat and headquarters marks a historic milestone as this is the first by a Vietnamese Party General Secretary. It reaffirms Vietnam’s strong commitment to ASEAN amidst the bloc’s transition towards delivering on its development visions.

Party General Secretary To Lam begins visits to Indonesia, ASEAN Secretariat
This marks the first visit by a General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam to Indonesia in nearly eight years, since August 2017, and also the first by a Vietnamese Party chief to the ASEAN Secretariat.

PM stresses importance of economic cooperation in promoting growth
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh requested ministries, sectors, and local authorities to proactively solve existing problems related to foreign investment projects, facilitate the expansion of foreign businesses' investment and operations, and enable Vietnam to integrate more deeply into global supply chains.

Ambassador works to enhance ties with French localities
A delegation from the Vietnamese Embassy led by Ambassador Dinh Toan Thang visited Hérault province in France’s Occitanie region from March 6-8, aiming to strengthen local-level cooperation.

Vietnam remains committed to protecting PwDs’ rights
As an active member in implementing the CRPD, Vietnam hopes to receive technical support from the committee and development partners to further promote inclusive development for persons with disabilities, improve policies and legal frameworks, and build capacity for personnel in this field, said Deputy Minister of Home Affairs Nguyen Van Hoi.

Vietnam-Indonesia bilateral ties ready for enhancement: Ambassador
With their close and multifaceted relationship, Vietnam and Indonesia are well-positioned to exert a positive influence on Southeast Asia, contributing to regional stability amid global uncertainties, according to Indonesian Ambassador to Vietnam Denny Abdi.

Vietnam vital piece of resilient ASEAN: Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn
Vietnam has helped elevate ASEAN’s global profile by supporting the bloc’s efforts to expand its influence in the region. With a population of around 100 million and an abundant workforce, Vietnam is an influential member of ASEAN, said ASEAN Secretary-General Dr Kao Kim Hourn.

PM hails women’s contributions to society, national development
According to the Prime Minister, Vietnam is one of the countries that has achieved the Millennium Development Goal on gender equality and women's empowerment ahead of schedule. In 2024, it ranked 72nd out of 146 countries in the global gender equality index. Notably, the proportion of female deputies in Vietnam’s 2021-2026 National Assembly stands at 30.26%, a high level compared to other countries in the Asia-Pacific region.

Party chief's visit expected to realise potential of Vietnam-Indonesia cooperation
The state visit to Indonesia by Party chief To Lam comes at a time when the Vietnam-Indonesia Strategic Partnership is experiencing robust, comprehensive, and stable growth across various fields, including politics, diplomacy, security-defence, economy, tourism, culture, and people-to-people exchange.

Indonesia-Vietnam relations contribute to region’s prosperity: official
Since Vietnam and Indonesia established a strategic partnership in 2013, they have seized opportunities and made efforts to reach a point where they are now ready to elevate the relationship to a new level, said Indonesian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Armanatha Kristiawan Nasir.