President Truong Tan Sang receives his Singaporean counterpart, Tony Tan Keng Yam (Source: VNA)

President Truong Tan Sang held talks with his Singaporean counterpart, Tony Tan Keng Yam, in Hanoi on April 23 immediately after an official welcome ceremony for the Singaporean guest, who is on a five-day state visit to Vietnam.

President Sang spoke highly of the Singaporean leader’s decision to choose Vietnam as his first destination after taking office, saying that it is a vivid manifestation of the friendship and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Singapore.

President Tony Tan Keng Yam congratulated Vietnam on achievements the country has made during the national construction and development period, especially its efforts in curbing inflation and maintaining stable economic growth.

The Vietnamese State leader praised Singapore’s recent achievements, expressing his belief that the country will harvest greater successes as a civilised and developed nation and an economic-financial and scientific-technological centre of the region and the world.

Regarding bilateral cooperation, the two leaders expressed their pleasure with the development of Vietnam-Singapore friendship and comprehensive cooperation in recent times.

They agreed that the regular exchange of high-ranking visits has created mutual trust and close relations between the two countries, helping bring the bilateral ties to a new height towards a strategic partnership.

President Tony Tan Keng Yam welcomed Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong’s future visit to Singapore.
The two leaders expressed their joy at the development of economic, investment and trade cooperation between the two countries.

President Sang praised Singapore for remaining one of Vietnam’s leading investors and trade partners.
President Tony Tan Keng Yam affirmed that Singaporean businesses want to invest and do long-term business in Vietnam.

The two Presidents were happy at the efficiency of the Framework Agreement on Vietnam-Singapore Connectivity and the results of the recent 8th connectivity meeting in Singapore.

They praised the operation of Vietnam-Singapore industrial parks in Binh Duong, Hai Phong and Bac Ninh and expressed their belief that Vietnam-Singapore industrial parks in Quang Ngai province will contribute to the development of central Vietnam.

They also expressed their pleasure at cooperation in national defence and security between the two countries and agreed that the two sides would soon sign the expansion of the agreement on cooperation in the fight against translational crime.

They agreed to boost cooperation in education and training, construction and agriculture.

Exchanging views on multilateral cooperation, the two leaders were pleased at coordination between the two countries at regional and international forums over.

President Sang took this occasion to thank Singapore for supporting Vietnam ’s candidacy to the UN Human Rights Council in the 2020-2021 term.

They affirmed that the two countries will continue to boost cooperation in international economic mechanisms, including APEC and ASEM, and especially when the ASEAN Community will be formed in 2015.

President Tony Tan Keng Yam shared the views with Vietnam on the East Sea issue, agreeing to continue coordinating in viewpoints and in maintaining ASEAN solidarity in the issue to ensure maritime, security safety and freedom in the East Sea on the basis of abiding by international laws, the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea and working towards building a Code of Conduct in the East Sea.

On this occasion, the two Presidents witnessed the grant of approval of investment plans for the Vietnam-Singapore Industrial Park and the thermal power plant of Singapore’s Sembcorp group in Quang Ngai./.