Hanoi (VNA) – PresidentNguyen Xuan Phuc received the ambassadors of Singapore and Egypt at separatemeetings in Hanoi on February 11.

Talking to Singaporean Ambassador JayaRatnam, the State leader stressed that the two countries’ cooperation has beenthriving, especially in trade and investment, since his official visit as thePrime Minister of Vietnam to the city state in April 2018.

Ambassador Jaya Ratnam noted though2021 was a year full of difficulties for both countries and the world, the twosides have sustained close relations as seen in high-level talks. Singapore’sinvestment in Vietnam’s industrial parks topped 14 billion USD, and the two nations mutually supported in health care, including in COVID-19 vaccine and medicalsupplies.

He vowed utmost efforts to bolsterbilateral ties, particularly in economy, trade, investment, defence, andsecurity.

Applauding the diplomat’sdetermination, President Phuc spoke highly of the coordination among the countries’agencies, ministries, and sectors to further intensify the Vietnam - Singaporestrategic partnership and work towards the 50th anniversaryof diplomatic ties in 2023.

He asked the two sides to maintainall-level mutual visits, restore commercial flights, boost defence cooperation,consider new cooperation areas like defence industry, search and rescue, andpromote collaboration in human resources development.

The host leader also thankedSingapore for its precious and timely assistance for Vietnam in the pandemiccombat, calling for mutual recognition of “vaccine passports” and favourableconditions for each other’s people and businesses to travel and do business.

Meeting with outgoing Ambassador ofEgypt Mahmoud Hassan Nayel, President Phuc highly valued his guest’s contributionsto the traditional friendship and cooperation between the two countries.

He affirmed that Vietnam alwaystreasures the long-standing bilateral relations, noting even amid the COVID-19pandemic, the countries have still enhanced ties in multiple fields, includingtrade which rose from over 491 million USD in 2019 to 515 million USD in 2020. Theyhave also consistently supported each other at international and regionalforums.

Ambassador Mahmoud Hassan Nayel thankedrelevant agencies of Vietnam for their active support for his embassy tofulfill duties, adding that he always views Vietnam as his second homeland.
  
He expressed his hope that in thetime to come, bilateral trade will continue to be fostered and high-levelmutual visits resumed.

Sharing the diplomat’s view on the huge potential of their countries’ cooperation,President Phuc asked the two sides to increase high-level delegation exchangesand meetings, as well as those between ministries, sectors, and enterprises totighten links.

They should also work together to fruitfully organise the 6th meeting of the Vietnam - Egypt Inter-governmental Committee in 2022; activelycarry out the signed agreements such as the investment facilitation andprotection agreement, the memorandum of understanding on rice trade between theVietnamese Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) and the Egyptian Ministry of Supplyand Internal Trade, and the cooperation memorandum between the MoIT and theEgyptian Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources; and step up partnershipsin education - training, tourism, and agriculture, according to the President.

He voiced his hope that afterreturning to Egypt, Mahmoud Hassan Nayel will continue supporting the countries’relations to develop in various spheres.

For his part, the Egyptian ambassadorpledged more dedication to bilateral ties, especially when his country is thehost of the UN Climate Change Conference 2022 (COP27), which will give bothsides many chances for stronger cooperation in the climate change issue./.