At an enterprise in the Vietnam-Singapore Industrial Park in Binh Duong province. (Photo: VNA)Dr. Le Hong Hiep, an expert of Singapore’s ISEAS–YusofIshak Institute, told the Vietnam News Agency (VNA)'s correspondents that Singapore is the thirdcountry that Vietnamese leaders have visited bilaterally, following the 13th National Party Congress in January 2021, after Cambodia and Laos.
The trip demonstrates the importance Vietnam has attached to its relations with Singapore and vice versa as the city-state has received just a few foreign leaders in recent times, he said, adding that President Phuc isalso the first foreign head of state to visit Singapore bilaterally this year.
The visit is expected to deepen the Vietnam-Singaporestrategic partnership, while creating a foundation to foster their cooperationin such areas as tourism, economic recovery post COVID-19, digital economy,cyber security and national defence-security, Hiep said.
According to the expert, over the past more than eightyears since the two countries established their strategic partnership, thebilateral ties have developed intensively and extensively, especially ineconomy.
Last year, Singapore took the lead among 106countries and territories investing in Vietnam, with combined investment amounting toover 10.7 billion USD, accounting for 34.4 percent of the total foreign capitalpoured into Vietnam. Singapore is also among the top three foreigninvestors in terms of capital registered in Vietnam so far.
Its projects have played an important role ininfrastructure development in Vietnam, particularly in energy andinfrastructure at industrial parks, Hiep said, taking Vietnam-Singapore Industrial Parks (VSIP) as an example.
The expert held that Vietnam and Singapore shared common points in securityinterests and strategic perceptions, as well as similarities in their views on manyregional and international security issues, which have created an important foundationfor their collaboration in strategic areas and national defence-security in thetime ahead.
Singapore is likely to continue prioritising suchcooperation spheres and turn Vietnam into a key destination of Singaporean andinternational investors, he forecast, noting that there is still ample spacefor the strategic relations and collaboration in national defence-security togrow further.
The expert expressed his belief that the bilateralcooperation in tourism and education will also further develop after thepandemic.
Hiep also noted his hope for the signing of an agreementor the issuance of a statement during the President’s visit to facilitate thetravelling of the two countries’ citizens, helping to boost their economicrecovery post COVID-19, especially in investment, tourism and education.
Their partnerships in digital economy, cyber securityand national defence-security would also be strengthened if there are moreagreements to be reached in these fields, he said./.
VNA
