Trusted companion, step towards the future

Article by Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations (August 1, 1973 - August 1, 2023) and 10 years of the Vietnam-Singapore Strategic Partnership (1993-2023).

General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong received Singaporean President Halimah Yacob, October 17, 2022.

50 years ago, on August 1, 1973, Vietnam and Singapore established diplomatic relations. Both are ASEAN members located in the dynamically developing Asia- Pacific region, with geographical proximity, cultural similarities, sharing many common interests, and adapting to great changes in the region and the world, the friendship and strategic partnership between Vietnam and Singapore have developed increasingly strongly, substantially and effectively.

Going back in time, President Ho Chi Minh lived and worked in Singapore during his arduous journey to find a way to save the country in the early 1930s. He was the first foreign leader to have a statue erected in Singapore's honor at the Asian Civilizations Museum.

Immediately after the Paris Agreement on the Restoration of Peace in Vietnam was signed in January 1973, Singapore was one of the first countries to establish diplomatic relations with the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (now the Socialist Republic of Vietnam). What is more special, Singapore was also one of the first ASEAN countries with which Vietnam established a strategic partnership 10 years ago.

From the results of many generations

The Vietnam-Singapore Strategic Partnership that exists today is the result of the hard work of many generations of leaders and people of the two countries. Visits by senior leaders of the two countries always create a strong impetus for enhancing political trust, expanding and deepening cooperation between the two countries in many fields. In particular, economic, trade and investment cooperation is an important pillar and driving force in the Vietnam-Singapore relationship.

With two-way trade turnover tripling in the past 25 years, from over 3 billion USD in 1997 to over 9 billion USD in 2022, Singapore is Vietnam's fourth largest trading partner in ASEAN. Singapore currently has more than 3,200 projects and 73.4 billion USD in registered capital, ranking second among countries with FDI in Vietnam and is the ASEAN country investing the most in our country.

In the last three years alone, Singapore has been the largest investment partner and has participated in most of Vietnam's economic sectors and fields. From the first Vietnam-Singapore Industrial Park (VSIP) launched in 1996 in Binh Duong, to date, Vietnam is the country where Singapore has built the most industrial parks in the world with 14 VSIPs in 10 provinces and cities, attracting more than 17 billion USD in investment capital and about 900 projects, creating jobs for nearly 300,000 workers.

VSIP zones are truly beacons of economic cooperation between the two countries, not only contributing to promoting industrialization and modernization in Vietnam, but also contributing to the supply chain and economic connectivity in the region as Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong assessed, "VSIP not only brings benefits to Vietnam and Singapore, but also contributes to the whole region."

President Vo Van Thuong met with Singaporean President Halimah Yacob in London, May 5, 2023.

Notably, Singapore is the first country with which Vietnam established a Digital Economy - Green Economy Partnership during Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh's official visit to Singapore in February 2023. This cooperation framework affirms the two countries' strong determination and commitment to promoting innovation, reducing emissions and promoting sustainable development.

At the same time, this also opens up many great opportunities for the two countries to strengthen economic connectivity in potential areas such as digital economy, circular economy, innovation, clean energy, climate change response, etc., which is not only beneficial for Vietnam and Singapore but also for the whole region.

For Vietnam and many countries in the world, Singapore is a model of aspiration to rise up, efforts to study and innovate, respect for talent, building a disciplined society and a development-oriented government... Singapore has shared many of its ideas and development lessons, always accompanying Vietnam in the process of national innovation and development.

To date, more than 20,000 mid-level and senior officials, more than 30,000 Vietnamese education managers have been trained, coached and fostered within the framework of educational cooperation programs between the two countries and more than 9,000 Vietnamese students are studying and researching in Singapore. This is one of the quality human resources that has been actively contributing to the dynamic development of Vietnam.

Cooperation in defense, security, tourism, culture, people-to-people exchange and other fields is increasingly expanding. The two countries actively cooperate in search and rescue, anti-terrorism, anti-piracy, high-tech crime, cybercrime, etc. Currently, about 10,000 Vietnamese people are living, studying and working in Singapore, as well as many Singaporeans living and working in Vietnam, which is a bridge for the increasingly strong friendship between the people of the two countries.

Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong welcomes Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on February 9, 2023, at the Istana Palace, Singapore.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, Vietnam and Singapore promptly shared and supported each other in vaccines, masks and many medical equipment; at the same time, closely coordinated to promote international cooperation in Covid-19 prevention in ASEAN and the region. Currently, about 100 direct flights per week have brought the number of tourists between the two countries to increase sharply again after the Covid-19 pandemic.

The strategic partnership and mutual trust between Vietnam and Singapore are also affirmed in multilateral cooperation. The two countries share common ground on many international and regional issues; always closely coordinate and support each other at multilateral forums and cooperation mechanisms such as the United Nations, APEC, ASEAN, the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP)... The two countries share common aspirations for a peaceful, stable and prosperous Southeast Asia and Asia-Pacific region, and together with ASEAN members, strive to build a united, strong and increasingly prestigious ASEAN Community in the world.

Taking the relationship to the next level

Vietnam and Singapore are both dynamic countries with strong aspirations to rise up and share many strategic interests. Vietnam is striving to promote industrialization and modernization, build an independent, self-reliant and proactive economy, and actively integrate comprehensively and deeply into the international community, striving to become a developing country with modern industry and high average income by 2030 and a developed, high-income country by 2045. In realizing its aspirations and development vision, Vietnam always considers Singapore a close neighbor and a reliable partner and hopes that Singapore will contribute more and more effectively to Vietnam's development.

On May 18, 2022, National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue and Singaporean Parliament Speaker Tan Chuan-Jin jointly signed a cooperation agreement between the National Assemblies of Vietnam and Singapore.

The solid and extensive foundation of cooperation built over the past 50 years is opening up many new opportunities to promote the Vietnam-Singapore Strategic Partnership to develop more comprehensively, substantially and effectively, contributing to peace, stability, cooperation and development in Southeast Asia and the world.

To turn those great opportunities and potentials into reality, it is necessary to continuously consolidate and improve the effectiveness of bilateral cooperation mechanisms, further enhance strategic trust; continue to promote increasingly effective defense, security and foreign affairs cooperation to make important contributions to the development of each country as well as to peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world.

Regarding the economic cooperation pillar, the two countries need to expand and deepen economic connectivity, effectively promote the Digital Economy-Green Economy Partnership, upgrade the Framework Agreement on Connecting the Two Economies of Vietnam and Singapore, make good use of regional economic links and free trade agreements (FTAs) that the two countries participate in such as the CPTPP Agreement, ASEAN FTA with partners; develop VSIP zones in Vietnam towards high-tech, green, and smart zones. In addition, continue to expand and deepen cooperation in defense, security, education - training, health, tourism, culture, environment, climate change adaptation... in the direction of improving quality, efficiency, and enhancing mutual advantages.

Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son and Singaporean Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan answer questions from the press at a local cuisine promotion event during their official visit to Singapore on July 18. (Photo: Quang Hoa)

On the multilateral front, the two countries continue to strengthen coordination and mutual support in building the ASEAN Community as well as at regional and international forums; support multilateralism, respect international law, and strive together for peace, national independence, democracy, cooperation, sustainable development and social progress.

Given the development needs of each country in a constantly changing world, the Vietnam-Singapore Strategic Partnership is becoming increasingly important to both countries. Vietnam is determined to do its utmost, together with Singapore, to foster good neighborly relations and develop the two countries' Strategic Partnership to be increasingly sustainable, extensive and effective, meeting the aspirations and interests of the two peoples, and making positive contributions to peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/viet-nam-singapore-dong-hanh-tin-cay-buoc-toi-tuong-lai-236701.html