(VOVworld) – Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Wednesday begins an official visit to Vietnam at the invitation of Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung. The visit, which takes place on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of Vietnam – Singapore diplomatic ties, is an important milestone paving the way for new cooperative opportunities and raising bilateral relations to new level. VOV’s reporter Anh Huyen reviews milestones in Vietnam – Singapore’s 40 years of cooperation.
Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong welcomed General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong in Singapore in 2012 |
Vietnam and Singapore established bilateral relations on August 1, 1973. During the last 40 years, the two countries have developed reliable and comprehensive political ties. Leaders of both countries have exchanged regular visits including the latest visit to Singapore by Nguyen Phu Trong, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam. Bilateral economic relations have flourished. Deputy Foreign Minister Pham Quang Vinh said: “Over the past 40 years, Vietnam and Singapore relations have progressed remarkably. Singapore was one of the pioneering countries to cooperate and support Vietnam in its renewal process. Singapore is one of Vietnam’s top partners for years with two-way trade revenue hitting 9.6 billion USD in 2012. Singapore has over 1,100 investment projects in Vietnam, totaling 24 billion USD. The two countries signed a Connectivity Framework Agreement on 6 prioritized areas which have been implemented.”
Vietnam and Singapore have signed 20 cooperative agreements. The Vietnam – Singapore Industrial Parks (VSIP) are successful models which have been formed in Binh Duong, Hai Phong, and Bac Ninh. More such models will be built in Quang Ngai, Ho Chi Minh city, and Thai Binh province. The two countries are boosting cooperation in defence, security, culture, education, and technology, and dealing with non-traditional security threats such as climate change and sea level rise. Singaporean Minister of Industry and Trade, Lim Hong Kieng said: “Singaporean businesses, when they come to Vietnam, they see the opportunities. They know that they come for the long term to participate in the economic transformation in Vietnam. We look for greater cooperation, joint-venture, and partnership between our businesses and governments.”
Vietnam and Singapore have closely collaborated in multilateral issues. The two countries have proactively contributed to ASEAN’s effort to build a community, regional connectivity, and promoting ASEAN’s central role in regional peace, security, and development. The two countries strongly support ASEAN’s principles of guaranteeing peace, stability, security, safety, and freedom of navigation in the East Sea, resolving disputes by peaceful means based on international law and the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, supporting the compliance with the Declaration on the Code of Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC), and building the Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC).
During President Truong Tan Sang’s state visit to Singapore in September 2011, the two sides agreed in principle to lift the bilateral comprehensive cooperation in the 21st century to the strategic partnership. During Secretary General Nguyen Phu Trong’s visit to Singapore last September, the two countries issued a joint-statement affirming the upgrade of their relations to strategic partnership status this year. Deputy Foreign Minister Pham Quang Vinh said: “The two countries’ reliable political ties should be consolidated. Our advantages in bilateral cooperation, particularly in economics, must be further promoted. The two countries should increase collaboration in regional and global forums. Vietnam and Singapore are discussing to raise bilateral ties to a strategic partnership.”