Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (R) receives outgoing Singaporean Ambassador to Vietnam Catherine Wong (Photo: VNA)During the reception for the diplomat, the Vietnamese Government leader noted that although the relationship has recorded fruitful developments, it is notcommensurate with the potential.
Vietnam andSingapore need more cooperation models to contribute to promoting economiccooperation and GDP growth, and creating more jobs for labourers.
PM Phuc expressed his hope that more and more Singaporean technology corporations will exploreand invest in the Vietnamese market, thus maintaining Singapore's leadinginvestment position in Vietnam.
He also wished that more and more Vietnamese students will pursue their study in Singapore, which boasts good education, hence improving Vietnam's human resources quality.
He took the occasion to congratulate Singapore on its achievements in COVID-19control, and thanked the country for its recent assistance for flood victims in central Vietnam.
For her part, Ambassador Wong said despite difficulties caused by the COVID-19 pandemic,the bilateral cooperation has developed constantly, especially in economy. Singapore has become the leading investor in Vietnam, she noted, adding thatthis is considered an important achievement in the relationship between the twocountries.
Vietnam is an important market for Singapore, and Singaporean investors are nowlooking for more opportunities to invest in the country, especially in priority areas such as innovation, development of smartcities, and startups.
Vietnam andSingapore are not only partners within ASEAN but also in international andregional forums, she said.
The diplomat congratulated Vietnam on its success as ASEAN 2020 Chair despite difficulties posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, saying that Vietnam'sinitiatives have contributed to further fostering intra-bloc connection and cooperation.
Regarding multilateral trade liberalisation, Ambassador Wong highly valued Vietnam’srole in promoting the signing of the Comprehensive andProgressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) in 2017 and the Regional ComprehensiveEconomic Partnership (RCEP) Agreement in2020.
She alsopraised Vietnam’s COVID-19 response and economic recovery efforts, expressing herhope that the two countries will work to soon re-open doors to each other as the pandemic is brought under control./.
VNA
