Tạ Thùy Liên, head of the liaison board of the Vietnamese community in Singapore. — VNA/VNS Photo

SINGAPORE — The Vietnamese community in Singapore expects that General Secretary of the Communist Party of Việt Nam Central Committee and State President Tô Lâm and his spouse’s state visit to Singapore and attendance at the Shangri-La Dialogue from May 29–31 will inject a new momentum into the growth of Việt Nam-Singapore ties, according to Tạ Thùy Liên, head of the liaison board of the Vietnamese community in Singapore.

Liên, who is a project management specialist at GovTech Singapore, described the visit as highly meaningful for Vietnamese in Singapore, reflecting the Party and State’s continued attention to overseas communities and opening up new opportunities for deeper bilateral cooperation.

She said the visit is expected to inject fresh momentum into cooperation in strategic sectors such as AI, semiconductors, clean energy, green transition, finance, logistics, education and high-quality human resource development.

As bilateral relations continue to advance, the Vietnamese community in Singapore is expected to expand its contributions both to the host country and to the homeland.

Liên noted that the Vietnamese community in Singapore, numbering around 25,000 people, has remained closely connected, preserving national cultural identity while contributing actively to host society and bilateral friendship.

With a growing network of Vietnamese experts, intellectuals and entrepreneurs, the community is increasingly serving as an important bridge linking the two countries in areas such as technology, innovation, education and cultural exchange. She highlighted the role of the community in supporting the implementation of the Politburo's Resolution No. 57-NQ/TW on breakthroughs in science, technology, innovation and digital transformation. Leveraging Singapore’s advanced research and development ecosystem, Vietnamese professionals in Singapore have contributed to technology transfer, innovation cooperation and policy consultation for Việt Nam.

A notable example was the Việt Nam–Singapore Innovation and Intellectual Forum 2026, which connected experts in priority sectors including artificial intelligence, semiconductors, biotechnology and green technology. Community members have also shared Singapore’s experience in public governance, cross-sector coordination and innovation ecosystem management with Vietnamese agencies.

In cultural diplomacy, the community has participated in major Singaporean events such as the Chingay Parade and co-organised the Vietnam Phở Festival to promote Vietnamese culture internationally. The liaison board also partnered with Lianhe Zaobao, the largest and oldest Chinese-language newspaper in Singapore, to produce a documentary on Tết celebrations in Singapore, highlighting efforts to preserve and promote Vietnamese traditions abroad.

Community activities such as Mid-Autumn Festival celebrations, Hùng Kings Commemoration Day events and the Hùng Vương Open sports tournament have helped strengthen solidarity among overseas Vietnamese while fostering their ties with the homeland.

The community has also supported Singapore’s Ministry of Manpower in programmes honouring migrant workers and has mobilised donations for disaster relief efforts in Việt Nam, Liên noted.

She said that to further strengthen its bridging role, the community is focusing on professionalising its organisational structure and nurturing younger generations through educational and career-oriented programmes. Recent initiatives included science and technology experiences for Vietnamese youth at A*STAR Singapore and digital literacy activities at Google APAC.

Liên proposed building a comprehensive data ecosystem and expert mapping system for overseas Vietnamese intellectuals to facilitate stronger engagement with national development projects. She called for more flexible mechanisms enabling overseas experts to contribute remotely through advisory, consultancy and research cooperation roles.

She further suggested expanding long-term research partnerships and co-funded innovation programmes between Việt Nam and Singapore, while creating more internship, entrepreneurship and cultural exchange opportunities for overseas Vietnamese youth.

According to her, stronger support for overseas cultural initiatives would help promote Việt Nam’s image more professionally and effectively on the international stage. — VNA/VNS