Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong voiced their delight at the countries’ flourishing strategic partnership, especially in politics.

Photo: VGP

At a meeting in the city-state on May 12, Deputy PM Phuc appreciated the island nation’s continued support to Vietnam in training central and local officials under an agreement signed in 2012.

He asked Singapore to encourage its businesses and Singapore-based multinational firms to invest in key areas in Vietnam such as infrastructure, manufacturing, high technology, accommodation and tourism services, support industries, energy and petro-chemistry.

He hoped Singapore would intensify cooperation with Vietnamese localities based on the latter’s specific advantages and help Vietnam develop special economic and tourism zones on Phu Quoc and Ly Son islands.

PM Lee Hsien Loong lauded the effective economic cooperation between the two countries highlighting the Vietnam-Singapore Industrial Parks (VSIP) across Vietnam.

He expected both sides to work actively to conclude construction procedures for the sixth and seventh VSIPs in 2015, declaring these facilities magnets for foreign investments in Vietnam.

Education-training is a key collaborative field between the countries, the leader said, expressing the willingness to provide technical assistance in developing human resources within bilateral and ASEAN frameworks.

PM Lee welcomed the upcoming visit by his Vietnamese counterpart Nguyen Tan Dung to attend Singapore’s 50th National Day (August 9), adding that Singaporean Deputy PM Teo Chee Hean will also pay a visit to Vietnam later this year.

Regarding regional and global issues, the two shared the view that peace, security and safety of navigation and aviation in the East Sea are the common interest of ASEAN and the region.

Given that, the bloc needs to unite and bring into play its role in solving related matters, especially in promoting the peaceful settlement of disputes in line with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, the full adherence to the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea, and the issuance of a code of conduct in the waters, they said.

Also on May 12, Deputy PM Phuc met with Singaporean Minister of Culture, Community and Youth Lawrence Wong, praising the nations’ cultural, tourism and people-to-people cooperation.

He valued Singapore’s community consolidating and society harmonising policies, suggesting the two sides continue strengthening ties in building social welfare policies, ensuring social order and safety, and preventing social crimes.

On May 11, the Vietnamese Deputy PM and his Singaporean counterpart Teo Chee Hean had a meeting during which they agreed to increase all-level visits to maintain the momentum of the strategic partnership.

The host official spoke highly of Vietnam’s standing in the region and its national development attainments, including the growth rate of 5-6 percent amid sluggish global economic recovery.

Both sides noted the close affiliation between the Vietnamese Ministry of Public Security and the Singaporean National Security Coordination Secretariat with regular visits and diversified cooperation activities in intelligence, law enforcement and crime prevention.

They consented to maintain dialogues and information exchanges on regional and international security situations. Singapore pledged aid in improving Vietnamese officers’ English language skills and United Nations peace-keeping capacity.

VNA