Vietnamese Ambassador to Singapore Mai Phuoc Dung grants an interview to the Vietnam News Agency (Photo: VNA)In an interview granted to the Vietnam News Agency ahead of the visit, thediplomat said the visit of the Singaporean State leader is a reciprocal of President Nguyen Xuan Phuc's trip to Singapore in late February 2022, and will furthersolidify the strategic partnership set up nine years ago and carry out the countries’agreements.
He noted since Vietnam reopened borders on March 15 andSingapore on April 1 after the COVID-19 pandemic had been brought under control,they have recorded a large number of people travelling between the two countries. Thereare about 20 flights connecting Singapore with big cities of Vietnam each day,along with a new air route linking the city state with Nha Trang, carryingabout 3,000 - 4,000 passengers.
Vietnam and Singapore have organised many mutual visits atall levels during which they not only shared experience in policy making and implementationbut also held investment forums and business dialogues to exchange information,seek partnerships, and devise solutions to obstacles to enterprises’ cooperation,Dung noted.
Those visits have strengthened political ties andfostered bilateral trade and investment, helping Singapore continually be thelargest foreign investor in Vietnam and fuel trade growth.
By the end of August 2022, Singapore had invested over 4.5billion USD in Vietnam. Bilateral trade turnover had reached some 15 billionUSD, rising nearly 25% from the same period of 2021, he added.
Aside from traditional cooperation areas, they have alsoworked together to develop infrastructure, build industrial parks, and trainhuman resources, the diplomat went on, saying that in President Phuc’s Statevisit last February, they also agreed to promote digital cooperation.
During President Halimah Yacob’s visit, the two countrieswill expand their collaboration to renewable energy.
Ambassador Dung expressed his hope that the agreements onenergy cooperation to be signed during the trip will give a new impulse forbilateral ties since Vietnam holds much potential for renewable energy while Singaporehas big demand for this type of energy.
A stronger energy partnership will open up a new opportunityhelping reinforce the two countries’ cooperation, he added./.
VNA
