National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyễn Thị Kim Ngân meets with Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong yesterday as part of her ongoing official visit to Singapore.— VNS/VNS Photo Trọng Đức

SINGAPORE — National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyễn Thị Kim Ngân met with Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong yesterday as part of her ongoing official visit to Singapore.

The top legislator thanked PM Lee for attending and contributing to the success of the APEC Economic Leaders’ Week that Việt Nam hosted earlier this month.

She praised his support for the progress of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), a deal replacing the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP).

PM Lee said he was pleased with the fruitful outcomes of the APEC Economic Leaders’ Week and lauded Việt Nam’s efforts to overcome natural disasters to organise the event successfully.

NA Chairwoman Ngân told her host that her visit aims to deepen the strategic partnership between the two countries and the two parliaments in particular.

She affirmed Việt Nam’s consistent policy of developing the strategic partnership with Singapore, proposing that the two sides work harder together to implement ties.

She suggested that both sides maintain high-level meetings, while strengthening people-to-people contacts to prepare for the celebration of the 45th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic relations in 2018.

She noted that two-way trade has reached nearly US$10 billion. Singapore is Việt Nam’s third-largest foreign investor with total investment over $40 billion. She added that the Việt Nam-Singapore Industrial Parks have become the symbol of mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries.

Meanwhile, collaboration in security, defence, education-training, tourism and labour has also expanded, she said.

Highlighting the close coordination and cooperation between the two countries at regional and international forums, especially within the ASEAN framework, the NA leader said that Việt Nam supports Singapore in performing the role of ASEAN Chair in 2018 as well as the role of Coordinator of ASEAN-China relations.

Regarding the East Sea issue, Ngân stressed that Việt Nam highly values Singapore’s stance. She expressed her belief that as the ASEAN Chair in 2018, Singapore will continue raising its voice on the issue and accelerate the building of a Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC).

PM Lee said that Singapore hopes to receive the assistance of Việt Nam in performing the role of ASEAN Chair in 2018, adding that Singapore will do its best to deal with existing problems of ASEAN, including the building of the COC.

Singapore will stick to roadmap of building the COC, he said, stressing the need for consensus among members of the association. Now is a good time to start COC negotiations, he added. Asserting that the potential for economic cooperation between the two countries is still high, PM Lee thanked Việt Nam for backing Singaporean enterprises.

He proposed that the two sides should open additional direct air routes to boost economic, trade and tourism affiliation and implement signed agreements. — VNS