General Secretary of the Communist Party of Việt Nam Central Committee Tô Lâm and Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong announced the result of their talks at a press conference on March 12, where they agreed to upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.— VNA/VNS Photo Thống Nhất

HÀ NỘI — The upcoming official visit to Việt Nam on March 25 and 26 by Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and his spouse reflects Singapore’s interest and commitment to strengthening its cooperation with Việt Nam, and is expected to realise the potential of the newly-upgraded Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the two nations.

Comprehensive Strategic Partnership - New milestone in Việt Nam-Singapore ties

Việt Nam and Singapore, both active members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), have enjoyed a growing relationship due to their geographical proximity, cultural similarities, and shared interests. The two countries have adapted well to the region’s and the world’s major changes, and their bilateral ties have continued to develop strongly, practically and effectively.

Looking back on history, during the early 1930s, President Hồ Chí Minh visited Singapore twice in his arduous journey for national liberation. In fact, there is now a commemorative plaque at the Asian Civilisations Museum Park in Singapore to honour the Vietnamese leader.

Singapore was one of the first countries to establish diplomatic relations with the Democratic Republic of Việt Nam(now the Socialist Republic of Việt Nam) after the signing of the Paris Peace Agreement in January 1973. The two nations also established a Strategic Partnership in September 2013, marking a new chapter in the bilateral ties.

Over the last five decades, especially after the elevation of their relationship to a Strategic Partnership in 2013, Việt Nam and Singapore have increasingly deepened their cooperation, with high-level visits and cooperation mechanisms becoming increasingly frequent and effective. For example, in February 2023, Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính visited Singapore, where the two countries signed a number of agreements to further strengthen bilateral cooperation in areas such as trade, investment, maritime cooperation, and consular affairs.

Later in August 2023, Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and his spouse also visited Việt Nam, resulting in the signing of many important agreements in the fields of education, human resource development, sustainable infrastructure, and skills training.

Most recently, the official visit to Singapore by Party General Secretary Tô Lâm in March 2025 marked an important milestone as the two sides decided to upgrade their relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. This new partnership is set to create fresh momentum for the bilateral cooperation in all areas. Notably, Việt Nam is the only ASEAN country with which Singapore has established such a relationship.

During the visit, the two countries agreed to further enhance political trust; expand economic, trade, and investment cooperation; promote digital transformation, green energy, and the development of innovative sectors. Additionally, they committed to deepening cooperation in defence, security, culture, education, tourism, and people-to-people exchanges, as well as expanding the Việt Nam-Singapore Industrial Park (VSIP) network with a focus on innovation and low-carbon development.

Along with bilateral cooperation, the two countries have also coordinated and cooperated closely at regional and international forums, especially within the ASEAN and the UN.

Thriving economic, trade, investment cooperation

The economic, trade, and investment cooperation between Việt Nam and Singapore has flourished significantly. Singapore has remained one of Việt Nam's largest trading partners since 1996. The trade turnover between the two countries has consistently increased, reaching US$8.3 billion in 2021, over $9.16 billion in 2022, and more than $9 billion in 2023, with a notable growth of 14.7 per cent in 2024, compared to the previous year. The first two months of 2025 have already seen a trade turnover of $1.77 billion.

Việt Nam and Singapore’s economies are complementary, and the two nations have effectively leveraged free trade agreements such as the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) to enhance bilateral cooperation. This collaboration has been helped boost economic recovery in the post-pandemic period, benefiting both countries as well as the wider region.

As of January 2025, Singapore remained Việt Nam's largest ASEAN investor and the second-largest overall investor after the Republic Korea, with 3,951 active projects totalling $84.14 billion, largely focused on manufacturing, real estate, and energy sectors. Singapore's investment spans 18 out of 21 sectors and reaches across 54 out of 63 provinces and cities in Việt Nam.

The Việt Nam-Singapore Industrial Parks (VSIP) have become a symbol of the successful economic cooperation between the two countries. The first VSIP, established in 1996 in southern province of Bình Dương, has been followed by 18 similar parks across 13 Vietnamese provinces and cities, attracting over $18.7 billion in investment and creating more than 300,000 jobs. These parks have played a significant role in modernising Việt Nam's industrial sector and contributed to the region's economic connectivity.

Việt Nam has also invested in 153 projects valued at over $690 million in Singapore, mainly in science and technology, information and communications, and other sectors.

The two nations also have regularly held the Việt Nam-Singapore Connectivity Ministerial Meeting to address issues and chart the way forward for enhanced economic and trade relations. The most recent meeting was held on September 18, 2024 in Singapore. At the meeting, the two governments agreed to upgrade the framework agreement on economic connectivity signed in 2005, focusing on energy, sustainability, infrastructure, digital transformation, innovation, and other key sectors.

A notable development step is the establishment of the Việt Nam-Singapore Green-Digital Economic Partnership during PM Chính's visit to Singapore in February 2023. In October 2022, the two countries also signed a memorandum of understanding on carbon credits, in line with the Paris Agreement on climate change. This partnership reaffirmed the commitment of both countries to driving innovation, reducing emissions, and promoting sustainable development in sectors such as digital economy, circular economy, clean energy, and climate change mitigation.

Việt Nam and Singapore are now looking to expand cooperation into new areas, including food security, renewable energy, and innovation. The Việt Nam-Singapore Energy Project (VSEP), for example, aims to develop Việt Nam's abundant renewable energy resources, particularly offshore wind power, and integrate Việt Nam into the ASEAN Power Grid, ensuring energy security while working towards achieving carbon neutrality by 2050.

Education and training have been a key area of cooperation. In 2001, the Việt Nam-Singapore Training Centre (VSTC) was established in Hà Nội with Singapore’s support to help Việt Nam quickly integrate into the regional and global economies. More than 21,000 mid- and senior-level officials from Việt Nam have participated in training programmes in Singapore under this initiative.

In addition to training officials, Singapore has also provided scholarships for Vietnamese students, with over 30 scholarships awarded each year since the late 1990s, and the number doubled in 2023. Bilateral agreements have also been signed in the education sector, including a memorandum of understanding on education cooperation in August 2023, which will further enhance educational exchange and collaboration.

Since March 2022, when both countries eased travel restrictions after the COVID-19 pandemic, Việt Nam and Singapore resumed direct flights. Four Vietnamese airlines and two Singaporean carriers currently operate direct flights between the two countries. Singapore is one of the top 15 markets for Vietnamese tourists, while Việt Nam is among the top 10 destinations for Singaporean travellers.

The Vietnamese community in Singapore, numbering between 20,000 and 25,000 people, is mainly composed of students, workers, and long-term residents. The community has played an important role in strengthening people-to-people ties between the two nations.

Effectively realising Việt Nam-Singapore Comprehensive Strategic Partnership

PM Wong’s upcoming official visit to Việt Namfrom March 25-26, only more than one week after Party General Secretary Tô Lâm’s visit to Singapore, represents a significant step in further solidifying the Việt Nam-Singapore Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

Vietnamese Ambassador to Singapore Trần Phước Anh held that with both countries already working together on key initiatives and projects across a range of sectors, this visit will serve as an opportunity to take bilateral cooperation to new heights. The visit will be a highlight for 2025, a year that holds special significance for both countries, with Singapore celebrating the 60th anniversary of its Independence Day and Việt Nam marking the 80th anniversary of its National Day.

He underlined that there are many areas Singapore seeks to promote with Việt Nam, such as food security and energy security. Given Singapore’s small land area and limited natural resources, while Việt Nam has a large market and abundant natural resources, Việt Nam can provide significant support in ensuring food and energy security for Singapore.

Anh pointed to potential projects in the fields of offshore wind energy, food and foodstuff, and data centres and those at the Việt Nam-Singapore Industrial Parks (VSIPs).

Financial centre building is also a sector that Việt Nam is eager to develop, and Singapore has extensive experience in this field, the ambassador said, believing that Singapore is willing to cooperate with Việt Nam in this sphere, bringing mutual benefits to the bilateral relationship.

Another aspect Việt Nam can look for Singapore's support is training and capacity building - not only for strategic-level leaders but also for professionals, civil servants, and students. Singapore is a world-class training hub, and its close geographical proximity to Việt Nam makes this cooperation highly beneficial. It will meet Singapore’s expectations while also addressing Việt Nam's needs, he emphasised.

The two countries can also strengthen their collaboration within the framework of ASEAN, as both are active and dynamic members who view ASEAN as a common home for maintaining peace and stability, the diplomat added.

Anh expressed his confident that the visit will be a success and a great contribution to making the Việt Nam-Singapore Comprehensive Strategic Partnership more effective and substantive. — VNA/VNS