Hanoi keen to step up broader co-operation with Singapore
VOV.VN - Hanoi and Singapore have substantial co-operation opportunities moving forward, especially in such areas as politics, pandemic prevention and control, trade, investment, tourism, smart urban development, education-training, and culture.
This was the view put forward by Secretary of the Hanoi Party Committee Dinh Tien Dung in a statement during a reception for Singaporean Ambassador Jaya Ratnam on February 10, while suggesting the island nation build a Vietnam-Singapore Industrial Park (VSIP) in Hanoi.
He called on Singapore to consider expanding its investment in other areas, aisde from real estate and traditional craft villages.
Dung briefed the Ambassador on the current situation relating to the COVID-19 vaccination in Hanoi which is at the fastest pace nationwide, with 99% of people aged above 12 years old now having received their second jab, whilst more than 40% of people above now 18 been given their booster shots.
The rate of fatalities accounts for only 0.4%, with this being mostly unvaccinated cases, the official added.
With great efforts and achievements in terms of pandemic combat, the capital is now confident of reopening socio-economic activities after the Government issued a resolution regarding the safe and flexible adaption to and effectively controlling the pandemic, he affirmed.
Industrial clusters in Hanoi maintained operations despite enduring COVID-19 lockdowns, thereby helping to raise the capital’s industrial production in 2021 by 4.78% compared to the previous year, the official added.
The city’s gross regional domestic product (GRDP) last year grew by 2.92%, in comparison with the national average of 2.58%.
Hanoi is in the process of speeding up long-term projects despite the pandemic in order to ensure sustainable development, Dung said.
In response, Ambassador Ratnam urged the two sides to tighten solidarity and co-operation in the time ahead, noting the political trust between the two countries would enable them to boost joint ties.
The two countries should therefore strive to boost collaboration in human resources development and sustainable tourism, along with expanding people-to-people exchanges, he said.
At present, Singaporean enterprises are keen to expand their investment in Hanoi and its adjacent localities, he said, suggesting the two sides soon set up connectivity to bolster co-operation in the fields of Hanoi’s concern.