Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (centre) and Vietnamese officials at the launch of the ASEAN Smart Logistics Network in Hanoi on November 14 (Photo: VNA)Hanoi (VNA) – Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phucand his Singaporean counterpart Lee Hsien Loong, via videoconference, witnessedon November 14 the launch of the ASEAN Smart Logistics Network (ASLN) with theVinh Phuc ICD Logistics Centre (SuperPort) its first project.
Addressing the launch, PM Phuc said at the 37thASEAN Summit, the two PMs and other regional leaders shared the view on thenecessity to concurrently control the COVID-19 pandemic, protect people’shealth, recover production, and regain growth momentum, including enhancing thesustainability of supply chains and guaranteeing the flow of goods andservices.
He welcomed the launch of the ASLN, consideringthe SuperPort project as a contributor to the ASEAN cooperation andVietnam-Singapore friendship.
For his part, PM Lee said the two countriesboast very strong business links, noting that Singapore was the largest ASEANinvestor of Vietnam in 2019, and bilateral trade grew 10 percent last year.
Vietnam-Singapore industrial parks haveattracted 14 billion USD of investment to the former country. Despite COVID-19,their enterprises have still managed to have common voice to carry outprojects, according to him.
Lee said SuperPort is the biggest logisticsproject invested by a Singaporean firm in Vietnam, and it will provideinfrastructure assistance for Vietnam and the local export industry.
This project will be among those taking the leadin the ASLN, which will help promote logistics chains in the region and assistASEAN’s economic integration efforts and initiatives that are being carried outsuch as the Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity 2025, the ASEAN Smart CitiesNetwork, and the Initiative for ASEAN Integration.
He expressed his belief that though the COVID-19is still ravaging, the bloc will once again thrive more strongly and enjoy abright future ahead, voicing his hope for continued development ofVietnam-Singapore cooperation.
SuperPort, located in the northern province ofVinh Phuc, will be invested with 166.68 million USD by the T&T Group ofVietnam and two Singaporean partners (YCH Group Pte Ltd and YCH Holdings).
The centre will serve as a transit point fordomestic goods, exports, imports, and others transported on the Hanoi-Lao Caieconomic corridor and from China via the Lao Cai border gate. It will also actas an inland container depot and provides customs clearance services forexports and imports.
The ASLN launch was held within the framework ofthe 37th ASEAN Summit and related events./.
VNA
