President Nguyễn Xuân Phúc (right) met Prime Minister of Singapore Lee Hsien Loong on February 25. — VNA/VNS Photo

SINGAPORE — Việt Nam always attaches great importance to and gives high priority to continuously strengthen and develop the strategic partnership with Singapore, said President Nguyễn Xuân Phúc.

He made the statement during talks with Prime Minister of Singapore Lee Hsien Loong on Friday morning as part of his official State visit to Singapore. 

Praising outstanding achievements made by the Government and people of Singapore over the past 55 years, President Phúc said he believes that Singapore will continue strongly developing in the new normal and soon fulfil the target of the "2030 Green Plan".

Singapore PM Lee said the fine results of this visit to Singapore by President Phúc and important cooperation achievements between Việt Nam and Singapore over the past years will help to create new motivation to strengthen and enhance the strategic partnership between the two countries. 

The two leaders expressed delight at the development of the Việt Nam-Singapore strategic partnership which has become more practical and effective in all fields. Economic cooperation between the two countries is considered a bright spot in the region. Two-way trade turnover reached US$8.3 billion in 2021, up 23.3 per cent in comparison with 2020, despite COVID-19. 

Regarding investment, Singapore is the largest ASEAN investor of Việt Nam and ranked second out of 140 countries and territories investing in Việt Nam with a total registered capital of $66 billion. The model of the Việt Nam - Singapore Industrial Park has become a symbol of successful cooperation between the two countries with a total registered investment capital of around $19 billion, creating an estimated export value of $35 billion per year and generating jobs for nearly 300,000 workers in Việt Nam.

Amid the atmosphere of celebrating the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the diplomatic ties and 10th anniversary of the establishment of the strategic partnership between the two countries next year, the two leaders exchanged and reached high consensus on major orientations for the cooperation between the two countries in all fields.

Accordingly, they agreed to soon resume all-level delegation exchanges; promote security and national defence cooperation; effectively implement bilateral cooperation mechanisms; boost the implementation of key cooperation fields within the framework of the Việt Nam - Singapore Economic Connectivity Agreement (investment, finance, information and technology, communications, education and training, transport, trade and services).

They also agreed to expand cooperation in the fields of innovation, digital transformation, digital economy, and green and sustainable development.

Appreciating cooperation between the two countries in COVID-19 prevention and control, the two leaders expressed delight that the two countries reached an agreement on mutual recognition of vaccine certificates, creating favourable conditions for travel and trade exchanges and contributing to socio-economic recovery and development of each country after the pandemic. 

They also expressed delight at the effective cooperation between the two countries at regional and international forums. They reaffirmed the importance of maintaining peace, stability, security and freedom of navigation and aviation in the East Sea, and settling disputes by peaceful solutions in line with international laws, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.  

After the talks, the two leaders witnessed the exchange of five bilateral cooperation documents signed between agencies of the two countries in the field of national defence, trade, intellectual property, digital economy and people-to-people exchanges.

Parliamentary ties

Meeting with Speaker of Singapore’s Parliament Tan Chuan-Jin later the same day, President Phúc said Việt Nam always wants to promote the strategic partnership with Singapore and expressed his delight at the tight cooperation between the legislative bodies of the two countries.

He said Việt Nam established the Việt Nam - ASEAN Parliamentary Friendship Group which serves as a bridge to enhance exchanges between parliamentarians of Việt Nam and ASEAN, including Singapore.

Speaker Tan said he believes that President Phúc's visit to Singapore will help to promote and deepen the strategic partnership between the two countries and congratulated Việt Nam on its socio-economic development despite the impacts of COVID-19. 

The two sides agreed to maintain and increase exchanges of delegations at all levels and continue promoting the role of the two legislative bodies in boosting bilateral relations.

President Phúc suggested the two sides enhance the sharing of experience in the issuance of policies and laws to support the two governments in pandemic prevention and control and the improvement of investment and business environment to help facilitate socio-economic recovery in the new normal.

The two countries should consider the signing of a cooperation agreement between the two legislative bodies to serve as a foundation for the implementation of cooperation activities in line with the strategic partnership.

On this occasion, Việt Nam and Singapore have issued a joint statement on strengthening strategic partnership and recovery cooperation. — VNS