Singapore PM eyes more trade with VN

 

Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh meets Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong yesterday in Singapore. — VNA Photo

SINGAPORE — Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong reaffirmed his commitment to encourage Singaporean enterprises to invest in Viet Nam during his meeting with Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh yesterday.

At the meeting to welcome Minh, who started his official visit to Singapore yesterday at the invitation of his Singaporean counterpart K Sanmugam, the Singaporean leader expressed his delight at the continuing prosperous relations between the two countries, highlighting the visit of President Truong Tan Sang to Singapore last September and the upcoming visit by Singapore President Tony Tan Keng Yam to Viet Nam.

Minh reaffirmed Viet Nam's consistent policy to foster fruitful relationships between Viet Nam and all ASEAN member countries, including Singapore.

During the meeting between the two countries' foreign ministers, both sides provided updates on the current socio-economic situation in their countries and on progress in trade and commercial co-operations within the frameworks of multilateral forums.

The two sides agreed that the ongoing relations could be upgraded to the next level, contributing to peace and stability in the region and the world.

Minh recognised Singapore as one of the leading traders and investors in Viet Nam. The two foreign ministers also expressed satisfaction over progress within the Viet Nam-Singapore Connectivity Framework Agreement.

However, other areas should also be given higher priorities in the future, including education training, agriculture and tourism, among others, according to the ministers.

Both Viet Nam and Singapore supported efforts to build the ASEAN Community by 2015 and to deal with the East Sea situation using existing international laws and agreements. — VNS