Vietnam gives high priority to its strategic partnership with Singapore, in which strengthened ties in various fields would create the condition for economic recovery for each side after the pandemic.

Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and Singapore's State President Halimah Yacob. Source: VNA

Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong stressed the view during a meeting with Singapore’s President Halimah Yacob today [October 17], as the latter is currently on a state visit to Vietnam from October 17-20.

At the meeting, Trong welcomed Yacob’s visit to Vietnam, saying this is the reflection of the strong friendship and cooperation between the two countries.

“The visit would mark a new milestone in bilateral relations and take the partnership to a new height, especially as both are expected to celebrate the 50^th anniversary of diplomatic relations and the 10^th anniversary of strategic partnership by 2023,” Trong said.

Vietnam’s Party chief called for both sides to realize the huge cooperation potential via frequent high-ranking exchanges between parties, government, parliaments, and people; promoting efficiency in trade and investment cooperation.

Meanwhile, Yacob expressed her delight to visit Vietnam, her first Southeast Asian destination in the post-pandemic period.

She highlighted Vietnam’s socio-economic achievements and the significant transformation compared to 30 years ago when she had a chance to visit Vietnam.

The Singaporean President congratulated Vietnam for its high economic growth despite the Covid-19 pandemic and attributed such performance to the leadership of the Vietnamese Communist Party.

Yacob informed the Vietnamese Party chief of the progress in her meeting with State President Nguyen Xuan Phuc on the same day, including the signing of memorandum of understandings between the two sides on various fields.

She noted Singapore considers Vietnam a major partner and expects to further its relations in the new development phase in fields of renewable, cybersecurity, trade, investment, and training workforce.

Yacob expected both sides to effectively implement bilateral agreements for mutual benefits, and become an example for cooperation among ASEAN members.