Vietnam, Singapore to work towards bilateral agreement on digital economy
Vietnamese Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son on June 21 held talks with his Singaporean counterpart Vivian Balakrishnan. The two ministers highlighted the key role of the two countries’ foreign ministries in fostering bilateral ties in various sectors.
They agreed to closely coordinate to promote the exchange of delegations and meetings at all levels as well as maintain cooperation mechanisms. The next meeting to be held will be the 14th deputy-ministerial-level political consultation later this year.
The two ministers also agreed on some measures to strengthen consultations between the two foreign ministries, especially on regional and global issues of common concern.
Both sides emphasized the need to effectively implement the Vietnam-Singapore economic connectivity agreement and work out concrete measures to boost cooperation in such fields as logistics, e-commerce, high-tech agriculture, and food processing in a bid to ensure post-pandemic recovery and sustainable development in each country.
They also agreed to develop Vietnam-Singapore industrial parks (VSIP) towards innovation and environmental friendliness and to strengthen connections in production and processing to exploit the advantages of each side.
They agreed to closely coordinate to promote the exchange of delegations and meetings at all levels as well as maintain cooperation mechanisms. The next meeting to be held will be the 14th deputy-ministerial-level political consultation later this year.
The two ministers also agreed on some measures to strengthen consultations between the two foreign ministries, especially on regional and global issues of common concern.
Both sides emphasized the need to effectively implement the Vietnam-Singapore economic connectivity agreement and work out concrete measures to boost cooperation in such fields as logistics, e-commerce, high-tech agriculture, and food processing in a bid to ensure post-pandemic recovery and sustainable development in each country.
They also agreed to develop Vietnam-Singapore industrial parks (VSIP) towards innovation and environmental friendliness and to strengthen connections in production and processing to exploit the advantages of each side.
 President Nguyen Xuan Phuc receives Singaporean Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan during his official visit to Vietnam. Photo: Thong Nhat/VNA  The Vietnamese President presents gift to the Singaporean Foreign Minister. Photo: Thong Nhat/VNA  Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has a reception for Singaporean Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan during his official visit to Vietnam. Photo: Duong Giang/VNA  Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh presents gift to the Singaporean Foreign Minister. Photo: Duong Giang/VNA  Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh receives Singaporean Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan during his official visit to Vietnam. Photo: Nguyen Diep/VNA  Head of the Party Central Committee’s Commission for External Relations Le Hoai Trung receives Singaporean Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan. Photo: Phuong Hoa/VNA  Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son receives his Singaporean counterpart Vivian Balakrishnan. Photo: Lam Khanh/VNA  The two ministers sign an agreement on training for senior officials of the Communist Party of Vietnam in 2021-2023. Photo: Lam Khanh/VNA  Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son holds talks with his Singaporean counterpart Vivian Balakrishnan. Photo: Lam Khanh/VNA |
| During his official visit to Vietnam, Singaporean Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan paid courtesy visits to President Nguyen Xuan Phuc, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh. |
He also highlighted the importance of strengthening cooperation in the manufacturing chain and processing to exploit the advantages of each side as well as to promote bilateral trade and export to other countries.
Emphasizing the digital economy as an important development driver, the two ministers agreed to promote the establishment of a technical working group on the platform of digital partners, towards forming a bilateral agreement on the digital economy. They also agreed to bolster ties in education, culture, tourism and people-to-people exchanges.
At their talks, the two diplomats discussed international and regional issues of mutual concern and agreed to work together at international and regional organizations and forums such as the United Nations, APEC, ASEAN, and the Mekong Sub-region as well as to ratify and implement free trade agreements.
Exchanging views on the situation in the East Sea, they agreed to uphold peace, stability, security, and freedom of navigation and overflight in the waters in compliance with international law, especially the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea; fully implement the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) and build an effective Code of Conduct (COC) in the East Sea.
At the end of the talks, the two FMs signed an agreement on training for senior officials of the Communist Party of Vietnam in 2021-2023.
Singapore committed to cooperating closely with Vietnam for post-pandemic recovery
Singapore is committed to cooperating closely with Vietnam so that both countries can emerge stronger post-pandemic, Singaporean Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan said ahead of his trip to Vietnam to attend the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) High Level Policy Dialogue.
In an interview granted to the Vietnam News Agency’s correspondents in Singapore, the minister noted that Singapore and Vietnam have a close Strategic Partnership anchored by strong political and economic relations, warm people-to-people ties, and wide-ranging cooperation. He described the Vietnam-Singapore Industrial Parks in seven locations across Vietnam as icons of the two countries’ excellent economic collaboration.
 Singaporean Foreign Minister delivers a speech at the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) High-level Policy Dialogue. Photo: Nguyen Diep/VNA  From left, Singaporean Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan, British Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs Dominic Raab, Vietnamese Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son and South Korean Foreign Minister Chung Eui Yong pose for a photo at the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) High-level Policy Dialogue. Photo: Nguyen Diep/VNA |
The minister went on to say that the two countries also work closely in many regional and multilateral fora including ASEAN and the UN, and share a common interest in promoting a free, inclusive and rules-based multilateral trading system.
He stressed that despite the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the global economy, trade and investment ties between Singapore and Vietnam remain strong, calling attention to the fact that Singapore was Vietnam’s largest source of Foreign Direct Investment in 2020 and also the first quarter of 2021.
“We have supported each other during this difficult time, including by exchanging donations of medical supplies and working together to keep regional supply chains open. Both countries are also fully committed to vaccine multilateralism, as well as the fair and equitable distribution of vaccines. We have also collaborated closely with Vietnam during Vietnam’s ASEAN Chairmanship in 2020 and non-permanent membership on the UN Security Council in 2020 and 2021,” Balakrishnan said.
According to him, as the two countries prepare to reopen their borders, they can consider how to gradually and safely resume travel between Vietnam and Singapore.
“I believe that this will have a positive impact on our economic recovery. In the longer term, we can jointly explore ways to strengthen supply chain resilience and regional responses to future pandemics. We look forward to further enhance our Strategic Partnership by pursuing new areas of collaboration, such as clean energy, technological innovation, and the digital economy,” the minister said.
The Singaporean FM said he is glad to be visiting Vietnam again, and he looks forward to discussing with the new Vietnamese leadership ways to grow the two countries’ substantive relations, and exchange views on regional and international developments of mutual concern.
By VNA/VNP
