Singapore (VNA)🐬 – Permanent DeputyPrime Minister Truong Hoa Binh met with Singaporean leaders on September 23,highlighting the importance of the countries’ strategic partnership to eachside’s interests, as well as to the solidarity and development of the ASEANCommunity.

The Deputy PM also paid a courtesy call toPresident Halimah Yacob, had talks with his counterpart Heng Swee Keat, and metwith Senior Minister and Coordinating Minister for National Security Teo CheeHean.  These were part of his official visit toSingapore from September 22 to 24. At the events, the Singaporean leaders highlyvalued Vietnam’s socio-economic development achievements and rising stature inthe world. Deputy PM Binh affirmed that Vietnam attachesimportance to developing the trustworthy, effective and substantive cooperationwith Singapore on the basis of mutual respect and benefits. Both sides sharedthe view that trade and investment partnerships remain a highlight in bilateralrelations. Binh stressed that amidst the growingprotectionism and trade frictions among big countries, Vietnam and Singaporeshould continue enhancing connectivity and better capitalising on theireconomies’ complementarity. He also welcomed Singaporean firms’ engagementin the equitisation of Vietnam’s State-owned enterprises and their expansion ofinvestment and cooperation in such fields as infrastructure, logistics,finance, banking, supporting industries, and startup and innovation promotion. The Singaporean leaders said their country isready to assist Vietnam in developing smart cities based on local advantages. The two sides also agreed to strengthenconnections in agriculture, transport, education – training, tourism, andpeople-to-people exchange. At the meetings, they valued bilateralcollaboration in defence, security and law. The hosts expressed their hope for increasedexchange between Vietnamese and Singaporean military forces, and for strongercoordination in search and rescue activities, and fight against trans-nationalcrimes, especially drug crime. The two countries will also foster cooperationin corruption combat and mutual legal assistance while further reinforcing tiesbetween their legislative, executive and judicial agencies both bilaterally andmultilaterally. Regarding international and regional issues,Deputy PM Binh and the Singaporean leaders emphasised that the two nationsshare many common values and interests relevant to peace, stability anddevelopment. Both sides wish to enhance their strategic trust and cooperation,particularly amidst the complicated situation in the region and the growingstrategic competition among big countries. The Singaporean side said they consider Vietnaman example of successful development. They also spoke highly of Vietnam’ssupport for multilateral trade systems, along with its positive viewpoints andsignificant contributions to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement forTrans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).  They affirmed the willingness to join Vietnamand other relevant countries in accelerating the negotiations on the RegionalComprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). As for the recent developments in the East Sea,both sides underscored the importance of maintaining peace, stability,security, safety and freedom of navigation and aviation in the waters. Theycalled for the peaceful settlement of disputes on the basis of internationallaw, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, the full andeffective implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in theEast Sea, and the acceleration of talks to soon finalise an effective andsubstantive code of conduct in the waters that is in line with internationallaw. Also on September 23, Deputy PM Binh had aworking session with the Enterprise Singapore, visited the Vietnamese Embassyand met with representatives of the Vietnamese community in the country./.