Vietnam, Singapore look towards stronger ties
Vietnam and Singapore have agreed to deal with issues arising from the cooperation process with the aim of boosting bilateral ties in education, training, agriculture, tourism and cross-cultural exchange.
On March 5, Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh paid an official visit to Singapore at the invitation of his Singaporean counterpart K Sanmugam.
After meeting with Singaporean FM K Sanmugam, FM Minh paid a courtesy visit to Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.
At a reception, PM Loong expressed his delight at the fine development of the friendship and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Singapore and spoke highly of exchange visits by senior leaders, particularly State President Truong Tan Sang’s visit to Singapore in September 2011 and the upcoming visit to Vietnam by Singaporean President Toni Tan Keng Yam.
PM Loong said his country will continue to promote economic and investment cooperation with Vietnam.
FM Minh reaffirmed Vietnam’s consistent policy of tightening its relations with all ASEAN member countries, including Singapore.
During talks between the two FMs, both sides informed each about the current socio-economic situation in their respective countries and bilateral cooperation in economics and trade as well as cooperation at multilateral forums within the framework of ASEAN.
They pledged to further exchange visits at all levels to provide fresh impetus for developing bilateral ties in the time to come.
The two sides agreed that the current relations can be upgraded to a higher level for the sake of mutual benefits, peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world.
Mr Minh praised Singapore as one of the leading trade partners and investors in Vietnam and wished that Singapore would maintain long-term investment in the fields of its strength.
The two foreign ministers also expressed satisfaction over progress within the Vietnam-Singapore Connectivity Framework Agreement.
On multilateral cooperation, the two sides affirmed their determination to coordinate at regional and international forums such ARF, EAS, ASEM, and APEC and in the negotiation on the Trans-Pacific Strategic Economic Partnership Agreement (TPP), and boost cooperation with ASEAN nations in building a united and strong ASEAN community by 2015.
They also highlighted the importance of ensuring peace, stability, maritime security, safety and freedom in the East Sea and settling disputes by peaceful means in accordance with international laws, especially the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the Declaration on Conduct of the Parties in the East Sea (DOC) towards the building of the Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC).