Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh (R) and Singaporean Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan at the meeting in Hanoi on June 22 (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) – Deputy
Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh suggested several measures to augment the Vietnam
- Singapore strategic partnership during a meeting with visiting Singaporean
Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan in Hanoi on June 22.
Balakrishnan affirmed that
the Vietnam - Singapore strategic partnership has been developing in a
substantive and effective manner with high political trust and huge cooperation
potential, especially when both are members of the Comprehensive and
Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and the Regional
Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).
The two countries share many
common benefits in combating COVID-19 and strengthening cooperation towards
post-pandemic recovery, he emphasised.
The Singaporean official also
informed his host about the outcomes of the talks with his Vietnamese
counterpart Bui Thanh Son on June 21, including the proposals to establish working
groups on COVID-19 response and cooperation in the digital economy as well as facilitate travel between the two countries.
Welcoming Minister Balakrishnan,
Deputy PM Minh highly valued the Singaporean Government’s efforts to respond to
the COVID-19 pandemic and conduct mass vaccination, expressing his hope that
Singapore will share its experience and cooperate with Vietnam in applying high
technology in rapid testing and contact tracing and access to safe and effective
vaccines.
He applauded the two
countries working to soon establish and convene meetings between their working
groups on COVID-19 response towards mutual recognition of each other’s vaccination
certificates.
The Deputy PM also welcomed the
cooperation in the digital economy to create momentum for economic recovery and
development in the new context.
The two sides should devise
measures for effectively carrying out the cooperation aspects within the
framework of the Vietnam - Singapore economic connectivity agreement, including
organising the 15th connectivity ministerial meeting early,
promoting the effective and balanced development of trade, and developing the existing
Vietnam - Singapore industrial parks (VSIPs) towards smart, high-tech,
innovative, and environmentally friendly ones, according to him.
Minh also suggested Singapore
continue the capacity building cooperation programmes in the Mekong sub-region,
coordinate viewpoints on regional and international issues of shared concern,
including the East Sea issue, and uphold the solidarity and centrality of
ASEAN.
Balakrishnan pledged
coordination with the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs to step up
all-level mutual visits and effectively implement directions issued by the
countries’ leaders, thereby helping to develop the strategic partnership extensively
and substantively on the basis of mutual political trust and common benefits./.