Prime Minister's visit to Singapore and Brunei is comprehensive and substantive

The official visit to Singapore and Brunei Darussalam by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and his wife, along with a high-ranking Vietnamese delegation from February 8-11, was a great success.

On this occasion, Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son gave an interview to the press about the results of the visit.

Reporter: Could you please tell us the context and significance of Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh's official visit to Singapore and Brunei Darussalam?

Minister Bui Thanh Son: The official visit to Singapore and Brunei Darussalam from February 8-11 of Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and his wife along with the high-ranking Vietnamese delegation was a great success.

Both countries gave the Prime Minister and the Vietnamese high-ranking delegation a very respectful, thoughtful, warm and highly formal welcome reserved for the head of government.

The visit takes place in the context of the positive and strong development of relations between Vietnam and the two countries; Vietnam and Singapore celebrate 50 years of diplomatic relations, 10 years of establishing the Strategic Partnership in 2023; Vietnam and Brunei just celebrated 30 years of diplomatic relations in 2022.

The visit is very important because this is the first visit of our Prime Minister to the island Southeast Asia region since the 13th National Party Congress, as well as since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In particular, this is the first visit of our Prime Minister to Singapore after nearly 5 years and to Brunei after nearly 16 years.

The visit contributes to continuing to effectively implement the foreign policy of the 13th National Party Congress, which prioritizes developing relations with neighboring countries and ASEAN, including the Strategic Partnership with Singapore (one of Vietnam's leading economic partners) and the Comprehensive Partnership with Brunei (an important partner in ASEAN and the place that witnessed Vietnam becoming the 7th member of ASEAN in July 1995); creating an important driving force to develop relations with the two countries with the highest per capita income in the region more deeply and effectively.

PV: Could you please tell us about the outstanding results of the visit?

Minister Bui Thanh Son: The visit achieved very comprehensive, substantive and specific results.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has a busy schedule with more than 30 activities in 72 hours; notably talks and meetings with all senior leaders of the two countries; talks and exchanges with leaders of leading corporations of the two countries and large investment funds in the region; meetings and talks with staff of representative agencies and the Vietnamese community in Singapore and Brunei.

The visit achieved a number of important results as follows: Firstly, the leaders of Singapore and Brunei agreed to continuously increase strategic political trust with Vietnam through increasing delegation exchanges and high-level contacts; effectively implementing bilateral cooperation mechanisms and important cooperation agreements.

On the occasion of the visit, many cooperation documents were signed between Vietnam and the two countries in the fields of economics, trade, investment, maritime cooperation, youth, consular affairs, research and training.

In Singapore, the highlight was the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on the Vietnam-Singapore Digital Economy-Green Economy Partnership, creating a premise for implementing cooperation between the two countries in the fields of digital economy, circular economy, green economy, clean energy, and climate change response.

The Singaporean leader also appreciated the Vietnamese Government's recent approval of the investment decision for VSIP Nghe An II industrial park, demonstrating its determination to promote economic and investment cooperation between the two countries.

With Brunei, for the first time, the two sides signed the Action Program to implement the Vietnam-Brunei Comprehensive Partnership for the 2023-2027 period, helping to synchronously and systematically implement bilateral cooperation in all areas of mutual interest in the next 5 years.

Second, the results of the visit have added new momentum to economic, trade and investment cooperation between Vietnam and Singapore and Brunei, actively contributing to supporting Vietnam's socio-economic recovery and development.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh proposed measures to enhance cooperation in many important areas and received support from leaders of the countries, including expanding and improving the efficiency of connectivity between the two economies of Vietnam-Singapore and Vietnam-Brunei to support each other in building an independent, self-reliant economy, deeply integrated into the international community, practically and effectively.

Third, the substantive results achieved during the visit not only contribute to deepening cooperation between Vietnam and the two countries in traditional areas such as politics, economics, security, defense, education and training, oil and gas, tourism, people-to-people exchange, etc., but also create a framework for new areas of cooperation with great potential, specifically:

With Singapore, the two sides agreed on measures to promote innovation cooperation in the era of the 4.0 industrial revolution; smart cities, increasing access to investment and financial capital, including green finance; expanding and developing VSIP industrial parks in Vietnam in the direction of green, smart, inclusive, and energy-saving.

With Brunei, the two sides agreed to strengthen cooperation and support each other to participate in the global Halal food and goods supply chain; promote cooperation in agriculture, aquaculture, and chemical production; as well as cooperation in the digital economy, circular economy, and climate change response.

Fourthly, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh attended and spoke at a business forum with the participation of hundreds of Singaporean and Vietnamese businesses; held a dialogue with 32 large Singaporean and international investment funds based in Singapore to promote investment in ESG (environment, society and corporate governance) fields and a dialogue with leading energy-chemical enterprises in Brunei; and received leaders of many large corporations and enterprises of the two countries.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh sent a message to businesses and investors from Singapore, Brunei and internationally about Vietnam's strong determination and commitment to maintaining political, social and macroeconomic stability, building a stable and transparent environment and policies, and facilitating new areas of cooperation.

The Government and business community of both countries as well as internationally have expressed their utmost confidence in the stability of Vietnam's business environment, affirming that they will continue to do long-term business and expand investment and business in Vietnam.

Fifth, the Prime Minister had a frank and trusting exchange with the leaders of Singapore and Brunei on regional and international issues of mutual concern, including the East Sea issue; and agreed on major directions to enhance coordination between Vietnam and the two countries at multilateral cooperation institutions.

The Prime Minister and leaders of the two countries shared the aspiration for a united and cohesive ASEAN and a peaceful, stable and prosperous Southeast Asia; and agreed to cooperate to maintain ASEAN's solidarity and central role in the context of the current complicated regional and international situation.

Leaders of both countries expressed their respect for Vietnam's role and position, and wished to join Vietnam in contributing to peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world.

With the above important results, the official visit to Singapore and Brunei by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh was a great success in all aspects, contributing to bringing the Vietnam-Singapore Strategic Partnership and the Vietnam-Brunei Comprehensive Partnership to a new height, practically serving our socio-economic recovery and development, as well as actively contributing to strengthening ASEAN solidarity, for peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world./.

Source link: https://dangcongsan.vn/thoi-su/chuyen-tham-singapore-va-brunei-cua-thu-tuong-rat-toan-dien-thuc-chat-631470.html