Singapore (VNA) - Singapore is committed to cooperating closely with Vietnam so that both countries can emerge stronger post-pandemic, Singaporean Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan said ahead of his trip to Vietnam to attend the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) High Level Policy Dialogue from June 20-23.

In an interview granted to the Vietnam News Agency’s correspondents in Singapore, the minister noted that Singapore and Vietnam have a close Strategic Partnership anchored by strong political and economic relations, warm people-to-people ties, and wide-ranging cooperation. He described the Vietnam-Singapore Industrial Parks in seven locations across Vietnam as icons of the two countries’ excellent economic collaboration. 

The minister went on to say that the two countries also work closely in many regional and multilateral fora including ASEAN and the UN, and share a common interest in promoting a free, inclusive and rules-based multilateral trading system.

He stressed that despite the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the global economy, trade and investment ties between Singapore and Vietnam remain strong, calling attention to the fact that Singapore was Vietnam’s largest source of Foreign Direct Investment in 2020 and also the first quarter of 2021.

“We have supported each other during this difficult time, including by exchanging donations of medical supplies and working together to keep regional supply chains open. Both countries are also fully committed to vaccine multilateralism, as well as the fair and equitable distribution of vaccines. We have also collaborated closely with Vietnam during Vietnam’s ASEAN Chairmanship in 2020 and non-permanent membership on the UN Security Council in 2020 and 2021,” Balakrishnan said.

 According to him, as the two countries prepare to reopen their borders, they can consider how to gradually and safely resume travel between Vietnam and Singapore.  

“I believe that this will have a positive impact on our economic recovery. In the longer term, we can jointly explore ways to strengthen supply chain resilience and regional responses to future pandemics. We look forward to further enhance our Strategic Partnership by pursuing new areas of collaboration, such as clean energy, technological innovation, and the digital economy,” the minister said.

The Singaporean FM said he is glad to be visiting Vietnam again, and he looks forward to discussing with the new Vietnamese leadership ways to grow the two countries’ substantive relations, and exchange views on regional and international developments of mutual concern./.