The official visit to Vietnam by Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong from March 25-26 holds great significance, especially in the context that the two countries have recently upgraded their ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership, according to Vietnamese Ambassador to Singapore Tran Phuoc Anh.
In an interview granted to Vietnam News Agency correspondents in Singapore, Anh said the trip demonstrates the interest and importance that Singapore attaches to its cooperation with Vietnam.
As it takes place just over a week after Vietnam’s Party General Secretary To Lam's trip to Singapore, it is also a step toward implementing the perceptions and agreements reached by the two countries' high-ranking leaders during Lam’s visit, he stated.
Regarding the Vietnam-Singapore relations, the diplomat affirmed that there are many areas Singapore seeks to promote with Vietnam, such as food security and energy security. Given Singapore’s small land area and limited natural resources, while Vietnam has a large market and abundant natural resources, Vietnam can provide significant support in ensuring food and energy security for Singapore.
Anh pointed to potential projects in the fields of offshore wind energy, food and food stuffs, and data centres and those at Vietnam-Singapore Industrial Parks (VSIPs).
Financial centre building is also a sector that Vietnam is eager to develop, and Singapore has extensive experience in this field, the ambassador said, believing that Singapore is willing to cooperate with Vietnam in this sphere, bringing mutual benefits to the bilateral relationship.
Another aspect Vietnam can look forward to from Singapore is support in training and capacity building - not only for strategic-level leaders but also for professionals, civil servants, and students. Singapore is a world-class training hub, and its close geographical proximity to Vietnam makes this cooperation highly beneficial. It will meet Singapore’s expectations while also addressing Vietnam’s needs, he emphasised.
The two countries can also strengthen their collaboration within the framework of ASEAN, as both are active and dynamic members who view ASEAN as a common home for maintaining peace and stability, he added.
To further develop the bilateral relations on par with the two countries’ potential and advantages, the diplomat stressed the importance of policy coordination, as both Vietnam and Singapore are highly active and responsible members of the global community and ASEAN. Many regional and global issues require the joint efforts of both countries, along with other ASEAN members.
The leaders of Vietnam and Singapore frequently meet and engage in discussions at regional and multilateral forums. Therefore, maintaining open exchanges to align policies and establish a common stance on regional and global issues is extremely important, Anh stressed.
The ambassador highlighted the need for close coordination and cooperation in implementing the key aspects and projects under the comprehensive strategic partnership, and dedicating sufficient resources to ensure concrete execution and tangible benefits./.
