Hanoi, (VNA) –Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc on May 29 discussed on the phone with hisSingaporean counterpart Lee Hsien Loong bilateral and regional cooperation inthe context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

PM Phuc appreciatedthe efforts and comprehensive measures undertaken by the Singaporean Governmentto contain the spread of the COVID-19 outbreak and mitigate its socio-economicimpacts, noting his belief that Singapore will soon be able to put the epidemicunder control.

He shared Vietnam’sexperience in the transition to a new “normal” when the country promoteseconomic development while continuing with epidemic prevention and control measures.

The VietnameseGovernment leader underlined the importance of regional and internationalcooperation in the current context, and spoke highly of Vietnam and Singapore’smutual support in medical supplies as well as coordination in repatriatingtheir citizens. He thanked Singapore and PM Lee Hsien Loong himself for contributingto the success of the Special ASEAN Summit and Special ASEAN Plus Three Summit on COVID-19 Response via video conference on April 14this year.   

For his part, PM Lee Hsien Loong said he was impressed by Vietnam’s success in fightingthe COVID-19 pandemic, and thanked Vietnam for helping Singapore with medicalsupplies, which he said manifested the friendship and trustful partnershipbetween the two countries.

He appreciated the roleand initiatives of Vietnam as the Chair of ASEAN in 2020, which aimed atpromoting intra-bloc cooperation as well as collaboration between ASEAN and itsimportant partners in coping with and mitigating the impacts of the pandemic.  

The two PMs agreed tomake joint efforts to keep the impetus of the Vietnam-Singapore strategicpartnership through maintaining high-level meetings and exchanges along withbilateral cooperation mechanisms, further strengthening linkages between the twoeconomies and ensuring sustainable supply chains in the context of the worldand regional economies are facing numerous challenges.

PM Phuc affirmed thatVietnam attaches importance to cooperation on food security and welcomed talksbetween ministries and agencies of the two countries for the early signing of abilateral agreement on rice trade, under which Singapore will import Vietnameserice in a stable and long-term manner.

The two PMs reachedconsensus on holding discussions on the early resumption of flights towards graduallyrestoring safe travelling between the two countries, thus creating a boost for bilateralties in trade-investment, tourism and people-to-people exchanges in thepost-pandemic period. The Singaporean PM suggested establishing a “green lane” mechanismto facilitate travel serving essential purposes.

The two Government leaders agreed to continue coordinating and supporting eachother at multilateral forums. PM Lee affirmed that he will continue to workclosely with and strongly support Vietnam so that the country successfullyperforms its roles as Chair of ASEAN in 2020 and a non-permanent member of theUN Security Council in 2020-2021. PM Phuc said he values Singapore’scontributions to coordinating the ASEAN-EU relations in the 2018-2021 tenure.

The two also emphasizedthe importance of maintaining peace, stability, freedom and security of navigationand overflight in the East Sea. They vowed to make joint efforts to maintainsolidarity and the common stance of the ASEAN, and push forward negotiations ona substantive Code of Conduct on the East Sea that is in accordance withinternational law and the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS1982)./.