Vietnamese leaders receive Singaporean PM Lee Hsien Loong

Receiving the Singaporean PM, Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong affirmed that Vietnam attach great importance to strengthening relations with Singapore, a neighboring country with an important position both regionally and internationally, and with a wealth of development experience in various fields.

He recalled his previous trips to Singapore and expressed his impression of Singapore’s prosperous development and rising position internationally. He stressed Lee’s visit is an important milestone in bilateral relations, because it takes place at a time when the two countries are celebrating 50 years of their diplomatic ties and 10 years of their strategic partnership this year.

PM Lee for his part said briefed his host on the results of his talks with Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, saying the Singapore – Vietnam relations have developed substantially, with bilateral cooperation expanded into many new fields.

Singapore desires to boost cooperative relations with Vietnam, Lee assured his host.

He highly valued the Vietnamese leader’s strategic orientations for future cooperation between the two countries, and voiced Singapore’s wishes to strengthen coordination with Vietnam to contribute to consolidating peace, cooperation and development in the region and the world at large.

He reaffirmed ASEAN’s common stance on maintaining peace in the East Sea, respecting the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), implementing the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC), and soon reaching an effective and substantive Code of Conduct in the regional waters.

The two leaders agreed to enhance the exchange of experience in improving the capacity and position of their ruling parties, including discussions on party building, policy formulation, and official training, while strengthening human resource training for Vietnam, and coordinating closely with each other at regional and world forums.

At another reception for the Singaporean PM, National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue welcomed the results of high-level talks between the two countries’ Prime Ministers on August 28, saying the National Assembly of Vietnam support the two governments in effectively implementing new cooperation documents signed during the visit, helping to promote bilateral cooperation.

He highly appreciated Singapore recording sound achievements in national governance, business management and corruption prevention, and suggested that Singapore share its development experience with Vietnam.

Despite its deeper international integration, Singapore has maintained its identity and community cohesion, even during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, said Hue.

He expected that the two countries would develop effective and practical innovation cooperation models by bringing into full play their strengths and advantages, so as to record more gains in economy, trade, investment, education and culture.

Noting that parliamentary cooperation is an effective channel of cooperation in fostering the strategic partnership between Vietnam and Singapore, Hue proposed that the Singaporean PM support the two parliaments in realizing their cooperation agreement signed in May 2022, including increasing visit exchanges and sharing experience in perfecting legislation for national development.

Vietnam wants to learn from Singapore’s experience in building legal frameworks for the carbon market, green finance and global minimum tax implementation, he said.  

PM Lee for his part congratulated Vietnam on its 78th National Day on September 2, and said his visit is of great significance when the two countries are celebrating 50 years of their diplomatic ties and 10 years of their strategic partnership this year.

He briefed his host on Singapore’s renewable energy development strategy and voiced his country’s willingness to support Vietnam in undertaking potential cooperation projects in this field.

The same day, the Singaporean Pm was received by Vietnamese State President Vo Van Thuong who said Lee’s visit would create a new driving force to lift bilateral ties to new heights.

He expressed his belief that Singapore would continue growing dynamically and achieve the "Green Plan 2030” soon, toward building a harmonious and increasingly prosperous society.

Lee for his part he welcomes the upgrade of bilateral relationship to a new level in the near future.

He hailed Vietnam’s rising role in the region, and said Singapore wants to enhance the sharing of experience in economic management, urban management and human resources development with Vietnam.

The two leaders underscored the importance of expanding the successful Vietnam-Singapore Industrial Park (VSIP) model and strengthening educational collaboration while fostering people-to-people exchanges, especially among young generations of both countries.

Apart from advancing traditional areas of cooperation, the leaders pledged to intensify joint work in new fields, such as innovation, clean energy, just energy transition, digital transformation and talent exchange for innovation.

On global and regional issues, they concurred that amid the complex and uncertain developments in the world, both sides should uphold their shared stance and offer mutual support for peace, stability, cooperation and development.

They also affirmed the significance of maintaining ASEAN solidarity and common stance on important global and regional issues, including the East Sea issue.

PM Lee Hsien Loong is in Hanoi for a three-day official visit to Vietnam from August 27-29 at the invitation of Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh.