Visits to Singapore, Brunei towards building a stable and prosperous SEA

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, his wife and a high-ranking delegation of Vietnam will pay official visits to the Republic of Singapore and Brunei Darussalam from February 8-11.

The visits are made at the invitations of Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and the Sultan of Brunei Darussalam, Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah.

Ahead of the visits, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Do Hung Viet talked to the media about the meaning and expectations of the results of the visits.

This is the first trip by the Prime Minister to the two countries in his new position with a view to continuing to carry out the consistent foreign policy set forth by the 13th National Party Congress, which is to prioritize developing relations with neighboring countries and ASEAN member states.

In particular, this is also the first official visit to Singapore by the head of the Vietnamse Government after nearly 5 years and the first one to Brunei after nearly 16 years.

With the significance, the trip will help add fresh impetus to further deepening the strategic partnership with Singapore, one of Vietnam's leading economic partners, and the comprehensive partnership with Brunei, a potential economic partner and the place where Vietnam became the 7th member of ASEAN in July 1995.

For Singapore, the visits are the opening event for the two countries' 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations and 10 years of strategic partnership.

Vietnam's relations with Singapore and Brunei are based on many similarities, in politics, economy, culture, and people-to-people exchanges.

Vietnam and the two countries share their desire to build a peaceful, stable and prosperous Southeast Asia.

Therefore, the visits of the Prime Minister this time also carry the message of close neighbourliness, mutual complementarity, joint development for a cohesive ASEAN, peaceful, stable and prosperous Southeast Asia.

During the visits, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and senior leaders of Singapore and Brunei are expected to exchange and agree on many directions and measures.

In which, there are new and breakthrough measures to bolster cooperation in various fields, especially in economic, trade, investment, security, defence, education and training, science and technology. The trips also aim to expand cooperation in new fields such as innovation, digital economy, green economy, sustainable development and clean energy.

Vietnamese ministries, sectors, localities and businesses will also sign important cooperation documents with partners of Singapore and Brunei on this occasion, in which the highlight is the Government-level Memorandum of Understanding on the establishment of Vietnam - Singapore Digital Economy - Green Economy Partnership and the Action Program to implement the Vietnam - Brunei comprehensive partnership for the 2023-2027 period.

Ministries, sectors and localities will also have many specialized cooperation activities, especially in education - training, security - defence, urban infrastructure, maritime, and seaport development.

A broad array of trade and investment promotion activities will be organized with the participation of leading corporations of the two countries and internationally.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh will chair a business forum, and meet with leaders of many major groups and enterprises.

There will be seminars with major Singaporean and international investment funds, banks and financial institutions to seek investment opportunities in the fields of ESG (environment, society and corporate governance).

The Vietnamese Government chief will also discuss with both countries' leaders on international and regional issues of mutual concern, thus contributing to peace, security, stability and development in the region and the world.

The Deputy FM expressed his belief that the official visits to Singapore and Brunei by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, his wife and high-ranking Vietnamese delegation will be successful, contributing to further promoting Vietnam - Singapore strategic partnership, Vietnam - Brunei comprehensive partnership, and ASEAN's solidarity for peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and in the world as a whole.