Việt Nam, Singapore to strengthen cooperation ahead 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations

President Nguyễn Xuân Phúc (right) meets Speaker of the Singaporean Parliament Tan Chuan-Jin on Thursday. VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — Speaker of the Singaporean Parliament Tan Chuan-Jin said Singapore’s Prime Minister wants to visit Việt Nam in 2023 when the two countries celebrate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations, during his meeting with Vietnamese President Nguyễn Xuân Phúc on Thursday.

President Phúc said that the presence of Speaker Tan at the 31st SEA Games provides great encouragement to the host country Việt Nam and the Singapore sports delegation.

The Vietnamese leader praised the good results of talks between Vietnamese NA Chairman Vương Đình Huệ and his Singaporean counterpart.

Assessing that trade growth between the two countries is very positive, with more Singaporean projects investing in Việt Nam, the President said that the Vietnam Singapore Industrial Park is considered a symbol of economic cooperation between the two countries.

The President said he wishes to have more Singaporean cooperation projects in Việt Nam and the two sides to strengthen cooperation in the field of human resource training because this is the most solid foundation in the country’s socio-economic development.

Singapore’s NA Speaker Tan thanked President Phúc for taking the time to receive him and reiterated his good impression of the Vietnamese leader’s recent visit to Singapore in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Leaders of the two countries agreed on many important solutions to promote bilateral relations.

Noting that 2023 will be the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, the Singaporean Speaker said there will be many commemorative activities.

He added that the Prime Minister of Singapore wishes to visit Việt Nam on this occasion.

He also expressed his impression of host country Việt Nam’s organisation of the 31st SEA Games, adding that the sports events have also helped promote people-to-people exchanges.

Noting the Memorandum of Understanding between the two parliaments of the two countries, the Speaker said that this is an important basis for tightening cooperation and contributing to the economic development of the two countries.

President Phúc expressed his hope that the two countries maintain ASEAN’s common position in international forums in compliance with international law and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea 1982 in the peaceful settlement of disputes, ensuring security, safety, freedom of navigation and overflight in the East Sea. VNS