Huan highlighted the significance of the visit, noting that it serves as a vivid testament to the close and comprehensive cooperation and deep-rooted friendship between the peoples of the two countries in general, and between the current generation of leaders and future successors in particular.

Recalling the historic milestone in March during the visit to Singapore by General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee To Lam, Huan stressed that the two countries had elevated their ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership - Singapore’s first with an ASEAN country and its third globally.

Chan, who is also Singaporean Minister for Defence and Coordinating Minister for Public Services, emphasised that his visit stemmed from discussions between Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and Party General Secretary Lam on the importance of strengthening ties between the two Parties. He affirmed that Singapore–Vietnam relations are at a historic high, built on a foundation of solid political trust and core principles of mutual respect and support.

The guest noted that the two countries share common views on regional and multilateral matters and both fully recognise the importance of cooperation in maintaining peace and stability.

The two sides discussed key areas of bilateral cooperation, saying cooperation in education, training, and high-quality human resources development is seen as a strategic priority and long-term vision of the Vietnam – Singapore comprehensive strategic partnership.

Singapore has always been a reliable and practical partner of Vietnam in training and fostering mid- and high-level officials. The Potential Leaders Programme (PLP) of Singapore stands as a vivid testament to this friendship, with hundreds of young Vietnamese leaders having participated in training courses at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy and the National University of Singapore.

Chan expressed his hope that alumni of the PLP will be present in all localities across Vietnam, further enriching this network and playing an important role in building connection between the two countries.

In terms of politics and high-level dialogue, the two sides affirmed that the political trust and high-level dialogue between the CPV and the PAP remain a valuable legacy of bilateral relations, nurtured since their establishment in 1993.

The two sides also discussed cooperation in economy, trade, and investment, as well as new and potential areas in the context as Vietnam enters a new era of development focused on sustainability, green growth, and digital transformation - priorities that align closely with those of Singapore.

The two sides also shared common challenges such as an aging population and rising healthcare costs, and discussed the integration of medical and social care to improve support for the elderly.

National Assembly Chairman receives Singaporean PM

National Assembly (NA) Chairman Tran Thanh Man had a meeting in Hanoi on March 26 with Prime Minister Lawrence Wong who affirmed Singapore’s commitment to deepening the comprehensive strategic partnership with Vietnam across all sectors, including legislative collaboration.