Deputy Prime Minister Phạm Bình Minh and Singaporean Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan in Hà Nội on Tuesday. — VNA/VNS Photo Nguyễn Điệp

HÀ NỘI — Deputy Prime Minister Phạm Bình Minh suggested several measures to augment the Việt Nam-Singapore strategic partnership during a meeting with visiting Singaporean Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan in Hà Nội on Tuesday.

Balakrishnan affirmed that the Việt Nam-Singapore strategic partnership had been developing in a substantive and effective manner with high political trust and huge cooperation potential, especially when both were members of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).

The two countries shared many common benefits in combating COVID-19 and strengthening cooperation towards post-pandemic recovery, he emphasised.

The Singaporean official also informed his host about the outcomes of the talks with his Vietnamese counterpart Bùi Thanh Sơn on Monday, including the proposals to establish working groups on COVID-19 response and cooperation in the digital economy as well as facilitate travel between the two countries.

Welcoming Minister Balakrishnan, Deputy PM Minh highly valued the Singaporean Government’s efforts to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic and conduct mass vaccination, expressing his hope that Singapore would share its experience and cooperate with Việt Nam in applying high technology in rapid testing and contact tracing and access to safe and effective vaccines.

He applauded the two countries working to soon establish and convene meetings between their working groups on COVID-19 response towards mutual recognition of each other’s vaccination certificates.

The Deputy PM also welcomed the cooperation in the digital economy to create momentum for economic recovery and development in the new context.

The two sides should devise measures for effectively carrying out the cooperation aspects within the framework of the Việt Nam-Singapore economic connectivity agreement, including organising the 15th connectivity ministerial meeting, promoting the effective and balanced development of trade, and developing the existing Việt Nam-Singapore industrial parks (VSIPs) towards smart, high-tech, innovative, and environmentally friendly ones, he said.

Minh also suggested Singapore continue the capacity building cooperation programmes in the Mekong sub-region, coordinate viewpoints on regional and international issues of shared concern, including the South China Sea (known in Việt Nam as the East Sea) issue, and uphold the solidarity and centrality of ASEAN.

Balakrishnan pledged coordination with the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs to step up all-level mutual visits and effectively implement directions issued by the countries’ leaders, thereby helping to develop the strategic partnership extensively and substantively on the basis of mutual political trust and common benefits. — VNS