(VOVworld) – Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong has returned to Hanoi, concluding his official visit to Singapore. Earlier on Friday, he met with representatives from the Singaporean Business Association and several leveling businesses as part of his official visit to the country.

Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong meets with leveling Singaporean businesses

Trong briefed the Singaporean business community on Vietnam’s major policies on socio-economic development, including the country’s Socio-economic Development Strategy. He went on to mention the reform of institutions, human resources development, and the country’s efforts to upgrade its infrastructure. He stated that Vietnam has prioritized curbing inflation, stabilizing the macro-economy, maintaining an appropriate growth rate, and ensuring social welfare. He added that Vietnam will continue to expand its external relations by joining international organizations and forums. Party leader Nguyen Phu Trong says: "I hope that after my visit, Vietnam and Singapore, which share many similarities and a political trust, will see more progress in economics, trade and investment cooperation. I’m relying on the business leaders, especially those who have been investing in Vietnam. On behalf of the Vietnamese government, I thank you and sincerely appreciate the effectiveness of Singaporean investments into Vietnam."

Also on Friday, Party leader Trong visited the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, and delivered a speech titled “For a Southeast Asia of Peace, Stability, Cooperation, and Development". Trong said the visit coincides with the 45^th founding anniversary of the ASEAN and every member country is making an effort to build a united ASEAN community with a central status in the region to ensure peace, security, cooperation, and development.

Regarding the recent developments on the East Sea, Trong reiterated Vietnam’s policy of adhering to the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC), as well as the Guidelines for the DOC between ASEAN and China. He stressed that the Agreement on the basic principles to solve maritime related issues between Vietnam and China, and the Agreement to work with ASEAN countries to sign the Code of Conduct (COC) on the East Sea with China in line with the ASEAN Foreign Ministers statement were essential. Trong requested all countries to respect Vietnam’s legal rights, including its territorial sovereignty, jurisdiction over its continental shelf and special economic zones as defined in international law, especially the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. ASEAN countries share a common desire, interest, and responsibility to maintain a peaceful and stable environment in the region.