He told the Vietnam News Agency that the bilateral relations are advancing towards a crucial development phase, with efforts having been made to consolidate the people-to-people ties and enhance economic and political cooperation. Singapore has made substantial investments in Vietnam, including the Vietnam – Singapore Industrial Parks which have created opportunities for Singaporean and ASEAN investors in the country.

Both countries aim to elevate the bilateral relations, particularly in the domains of technology, digital partnerships, and renewable energy which are critical issues not only for the two ASEAN nations but also for the whole region.

Desmond expressed his hope that Vietnam and Singapore could work together to handle common challenges and develop stronger solutions, contributing to sustainable development for countries throughout the region.

Delving into the areas that the two countries could focus on to promote future cooperation potential, he suggested strengthening people-to-people diplomacy, helping people from both countries, across various levels from senior officials to students, to gain deeper understanding of each other's culture and business practices.

He added that the second major area where Vietnam and Singapore could enhance cooperation is technology and digitalisation, expressing his hope for increased collaboration with Vietnamese companies and support for Singaporean businesses to expand operation into Vietnam to leverage the country’s abundant human resources, especially in the technology sector.

Party official pays working visit to Singapore

Secretary of the Party Central Committee and head of its Commission for External Relations Le Hoai Trung is on a working visit to Singapore from January 7-11 at the invitation of Singaporean Minister of Foreign Affairs Vivian Balakrishnan.