Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh has suggested Singapore maintain capacity building cooperation programs in the Mekong Sub-region and coordinate over regional and international issues of shared concerns, including the East Sea issue, thus ensuring the promotion of ASEAN’s solidarity and central role.

Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh (right) recieves Singaporean Foreign Minister
Vivian Balakrishnan, Ha Noi, June 22, 2021

Speaking at a reception for visiting Singaporean Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan on June 22, Deputy PM Pham highly appreciated the Singaporean Government’s efforts to cope with COVID-19 and implement its vaccination program. 

He asked Singapore to share experience and cooperate with Viet Nam in the application of high technology in rapid COVID-19 testing, pandemic control, contact tracing and access to safe and effective vaccines.

For his part, Balakrishnan affirmed that the Viet Nam-Singapore strategic partnership is growing in a substantive and effective manner, with a high level of political trust and huge potential for collaboration, especially as the two countries are members of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), and the ASEAN-EU Comprehensive Air Transport Agreement. 

Viet Nam and Singapore share many parallel interests in their COVID-19 response strategies, as well as in stepping up cooperation towards post-pandemic economic recovery, he stated.

The guest said he will actively promote the areas and issues of Viet Nam’s concerns, while working with the Foreign Ministry of Viet Nam to further promote all-level visits and effectively implement the directions of the two countries’ leaders, contributing to enhancing the Viet Nam-Singapore strategic partnership in an extensive and substantive fashion on the basis of political trust and common interests.