PEACE-SOLIDARITY-FRIENDSHIP
At the invitation of the President of the Republic of Singapore, Halimah Yacob, a high-ranking Vietnamese delegation led by President Nguyen Xuan Phuc paid a working visit to Singapore from February 24 to February 26, 2022.
The President, Prime Minister, and Speaker of the Parliament of Singapore welcomed President Nguyen Xuan Phuc and the delegation with great respect and affection. President Nguyen Xuan Phuc met with Singapore's President, Prime Minister, and Speaker of Parliament. During high-level meetings, the leaders of the two countries agreed that they would soon resume high-level visits and contacts; promote defense and security cooperation; effectively implement bilateral cooperation mechanisms, particularly the ministerial mechanism for connecting the two economies; and promote good implementation of key areas of cooperation within the framework of the Vietnam-Singapore Economic Connectivity Framework Agreement (Investment, Finance, Information and Communication Technology, Education and Training, Transport, Trade, and Services).
The visit yielded many important outcomes, such as the two countries' senior leaders jointly assessed the results of bilateral cooperation in the past and outlining the direction of bilateral cooperation in the future, with the most recent visit commemorating the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations and the 10th anniversary of the Strategic Partnership in 2023. At the same time, the visit helps to accomplish the 13th Party Congress's foreign policy goal of complete expansion of ties with neighboring nations and ASEAN, particularly Singapore, an important strategic partner. It also contributes to strengthen the confidence of friends, international partners, domestic people, and overseas Vietnamese in Vietnam's viewpoints, guidelines, policies, and future development; build trust and encourage Singaporean enterprises to do long-term business and expand investment in Vietnam.
The visit brought about highly comprehensive outcomes, both concrete and strategic, via the sharing of a series of steps to boost collaboration. Notably, the two sides agreed on major directions for further deepening cooperation in all fields, issuing a Joint Statement on "Strengthening the Strategic Partnership and cooperating with each other in post-pandemic recovery," signing five bilateral cooperation documents in the fields of defense, economy-trade, intellectual property, digital economic cooperation, and people-to-people exchange; and agreed on measures to strengthen and promote the traditional friendship, increase the strategic bilateral cooperation through increased exchange of delegations at all levels. Along with that is the effective implementation of bilateral cooperation mechanisms; effectively promoting key areas of cooperation within the framework of the Vietnam-Singapore Economic Connectivity Framework Agreement, with an emphasis on innovation, digital transformation, digital economy, green and sustainable development, toward "connecting the two economies on a digital basis"; and, at the same time, contributing to the development of Vietnam-Singapore industrial cooperation. On the occasion of the visit, the two sides also pledged to continue effective coordination in controlling the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly by reaching an agreement on mutual recognition of vaccine certificates, which will facilitate tourism and trade between the two countries in the context of the new normal.
Speaking at the Vietnam-Singapore Business Dialogue, which drew nearly 100 leaders from the two countries' largest corporations and enterprises, President Nguyen XuanPhuc praised the practical and effective contributions of Singaporean business groups in Vietnam, which encourage investment expansion in areas where Vietnam is lacking, thereby actively contributing to Vietnam's long-term socioeconomic development. Singaporean enterprises have all expressed their confidence in Vietnam's improving business and investment environment, stating that they would continue to pursue long-term business and increase investment and companies in Vietnam.
During the visit, the two sides signed and exchanged 29 memorandums of understanding and cooperation contracts worth more than 11 billion USD between Vietnamese localities and businesses with Singapore and foreign partners in many fields where we are in demand, such as trade, innovation, smart industrial park development, airport infrastructure, logistics, energy recycling, school construction, environmental treatment, and so on.
During his visit, President Nguyen XuanPhuc also offered flowers at the President Ho Chi Minh Monument and spoke with employees, embassy personnel, and Vietnamese expats in Singapore.
President Nguyen Xuan Phuc's visit to Singapore contributed to attract resources for economic recovery while also sending a message of determination and strong commitment to Singaporean and international businesses and investors to promote production and business in the "new normal state," continue to promote reforms, and create favorable conditions for investors and businessmen to do business in Vietnam.
It can be said that President Nguyen Xuan Phuc's visit to Singapore was a huge success, providing a fresh impetus to Vietnam-Singapore cooperation in the future.
Phuong Mai