President wraps up State visit to Singapore

Earlier the same day, the Vietnamese President met with Singaporean Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong, during which he informed the minister on the outcomes of his talks with President Tony Tan Keng Yam and Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. He highlighted the fact that the two countries have agreed on numerous measures to boost the bilateral strategic partnership in the coming time. The President acknowledged Goh Chok Tong's significant contributions to propelling Vietnam - Singapore relations forward, noting that the relations have seen remarkable strides via high-level delegation exchanges. Singapore has become one of the leading trade and investment partners of Vietnam, he said, adding that Minister Goh Chok Tong has laid the foundation to elevate the two countries' relations to strategic partnership in 2013. The minister was also the one who launched the first Vietnam - Singapore Industrial Park (VSIP) project in 1996, which has multiplied nationwide and become a symbol for the effective cooperation between the two countries, the President said. He welcomed the Singaporean Government's decision to dispatch a high-ranking delegation led by Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean to visit Vietnam and attend the 20 th founding anniversary of VSIP in the southern province of Binh Duong in September. Minister Goh Chok Tong said that Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong is building a cooperation mechanism to develop the bilateral rapport with Vietnam, thus increasing connectivity in the ASEAN Community. Singapore has also set up a fund to support Vietnam's development in the ASEAN Economic Community, he added. The Minister confirmed that Singaporean leaders wish to work closely with Vietnamese counterparts to expand successful cooperative models between the two countries. He revealed that Singapore is striving to become an economic hub in the south of ASEAN while Vietnam is capable of becoming a centre in the north of the association. In the morning the same day, President Tran Dai Quang also had a working breakfast with Deputy Prime Minister and Coordinating Minister for National Security Teo Chee Hean. The President noted that economic cooperation is a spotlight in the two countries' relations and thus the two sides should make full use of new opportunities and benefits offered by the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement and the ASEAN Economic Community on the ground of win-win collaboration. The two sides also expressed their pleasure at the growing cooperation in defence and security, helping increase the two countries' mutual trust. They agreed on the necessity to enhance cooperation between naval, air, medical military and search and rescue forces while expanding affiliation to the fields of mutual concerns such as combating terrorism, extremism and cross-border crime, and sharing experience in ensuring cyber security. While in Singapore, President Quang visited the One North innovative technological park.

VNA