Vietnamese Ambassador to Singapore Tran Phuoc Anh (right) speaks to a Vietnam News Agency correspondent in Singapore. Photo: VNA

The ambassador described the trip as highly significant, while recently talking to Vietnam News Agency correspondents in Singapore.

Ambassador Anh noted that this will be the first time a Party General Secretary and State President of Vietnam attends and delivers a keynote address at such an important multilateral security forum in the region. The Shangri-La Dialogue gathers leading global figures to discuss regional and international security issues.

Former Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung had previously attended and addressed the forum, he said.

According to the ambassador, within just over a year since March 2025, Vietnam’s top leader has visited Singapore twice, demonstrating the significance of the bilateral relationship at a time when both countries are pursuing strategic and long-term development goals.

For Singapore, this includes adjustments to economic policies for its next development phase, while Vietnam is pursuing a new development era with a vision to 2045.

Anh stressed that the visit also highlights stronger Party-to-Party cooperation between the Communist Party of Vietnam and Singapore’s People’s Action Party (PAP). He said cooperation across all areas has advanced significantly since the two countries upgraded ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

Bilateral trade reached a record 40 billion SGD (over 31.3 billion USD) in 2025, up nearly 25% from around 32 billion SGD in 2024. Trade growth has continued during the first four months of this year, reflecting strong import-export exchanges between the two sides.

Singapore also remains Vietnam’s second-largest foreign investor, with cumulative investment reaching about 91.6 billion USD. In 2025 alone, Singapore was Vietnam’s largest foreign investor, with investment expanding in industrial real estate, infrastructure, energy, green finance, digital economy and logistics.

Science-technology, innovation and digital transformation have also emerged as key cooperation pillars, Anh said, noting that Singapore is a leading regional hub in these fields, particularly in startup ecosystems.

Over the past year, interaction among innovation ecosystem stakeholders has intensified, with Singaporean investment funds and family offices frequently visiting Vietnam to explore investment opportunities and partnerships in emerging technologies.

The ambassador highlighted semiconductors, artificial intelligence, new materials and space technologies as promising areas for future cooperation, saying that Vietnam hopes to work closely with Singapore as the latter seeks to become a regional hub for setting standards in these sectors.

Energy cooperation, especially in green and clean energy, also remains a priority. Offshore wind power projects between the two countries are being promoted to diversify energy supplies and strengthen energy security amid growing global demand.

Another important area is high-quality human resources training, including leadership development, governance, innovation and the application of technology in public administration.

The diplomat underlined a highlight of the top Vietnamese leader's visit to Singapore will be his participation in and keynote address at the Shangri-La Dialogue.

According to him, the occasion reflects the high regard of the organisers and the international community for Vietnam, as well as their interest in hearing Vietnam’s voice on regional and global defence and security issues.

The event will provide an opportunity for Vietnam’s top leader to convey the country’s foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, diversification and multilateralisation, while affirming Vietnam as a reliable and responsible partner of the international community.

Besides, Vietnam, Singapore and other ASEAN members all wish to uphold ASEAN centrality and solidarity amid current geopolitical uncertainties, he added./.