President hails Vietnam-Singapore strategic partnership

President Tran Dai Quang (R) received Singaporean Ambassador to Vietnam Catherine Wong Siow Ping on January 24 (Photo: VNA)

President Tran Dai Quang lauded the role of Singaporean Ambassador to Vietnam Catherine Wong Siow Ping in deepening the strategic partnership between the two countries during their meeting in Hanoi on January 24.

The maintenance of high-level delegation exchanges and visits has created a foundation for their closeness, the President said.

He particularly thanked Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong for his assistance for Vietnam to have a successful APEC Economic Leaders’ Week in 2017.

Vietnam-Singapore relations have developed well since the two countries established diplomatic ties in 1973 and a strategic partnership in 2013.

To keep up with regional rapid changes and the advancement of science and technology, the President called on the two sides to tighten coordination for development and prosperity.

He affirmed that Vietnam supports Singapore to fulfill its role as Chair of ASEAN 2018 to increase intra-bloc cooperation, promote solidarity and unification and increase the central role of ASEAN.

The Vietnamese agencies will work with the Singaporean Ambassador to propel bilateral relations forward.

Ambassador Ping congratulated Vietnam on its achievements in 2017 and believed the Southeast Asian country will maintain growth in 2018.

The presence of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong at the APEC Economic Leaders’ Week 2017 in Vietnam will drive for the two countries’ cooperation development in all fields, especially economics, trade and investment, she said, noting that Singapore is the third biggest foreign investor of Vietnam.

VNA