Singapore ’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said Singapore andVietnam will elevate their relations to a Strategic Partnershipduring his upcoming official visit to Vietnam .
“I amhappy that we will be elevating our relations to a Strategic Partnershipduring my visit,” the PM told Vietnam News Agency’s Singapore-basedreporter in an interview before his visit to Vietnam from Sept.11-13.
Following is the full text of the interview:
Reporter: Could you please tell us the main issues that both leaders ofSingapore and Vietnam will be discussing during your visit?
Prime Minister: I am visiting Vietnam tocelebrate the 40th anniversary of diplomatic relations between our twocountries. Singapore and Vietnam enjoy an excellentrelationship. Our economic ties are prospering, trade and investmentflows are growing, and people-to-people ties are flourishing. Wecooperate closely in ASEAN as well as in other regional andinternational fora.
It is timely to take ourbilateral cooperation to the next level. I am happy that we will beelevating our relations to a Strategic Partnership during my visit.Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and I will also officiate theground-breaking ceremony of the 5th Vietnam-Singapore IndustrialPark in Quang Ngai province in Central Vietnam . I also look forwardto exchanging views with Prime Minister Dung and other Vietnameseleaders on regional developments and other issues of mutual concern.
Reporter: During your visit to Vietnam , bothcountries will be announcing the Strategic Partnership. Could you kindlyspeak about the connotations and significance of this agreement?
Prime Minister: The Strategic Partnership is a frameworkto guide bilateral relations. It reflects our excellent friendship, andour shared commitment to expand cooperation into new areas such asfinance, aviation, and the environment. The Strategic Partnership willinject fresh impetus to our relationship, and pave the way for evenstronger relations between Singapore and Vietnam .
Reporter: In your view, what should Singapore and Vietnam do toconstantly consolidate and develop bilateral relations and tocontribute to the realisation of the ASEAN Community by 2015?
Prime Minister: Singapore and Vietnam should continue toexplore new partnerships which meet our countries’ evolving needs. Wehave done so with the Vietnam-Singapore Industrial Parks (VSIP), whichhave progressed from industrial townships to integrated developmentswhere people can “work, live and play”. We should also continue tostrengthen our people-to-people ties, which are at the heart of everybilateral relationship. I look forward to more regular exchanges at alllevels – between our leaders, businesses, and peoples. This will helpSingapore and Vietnam deepen our cooperation on the basis ofmutual respect, trust and benefit.
Singapore-Vietnamrelations fit within the larger context of our cooperation withinASEAN. As fellow ASEAN Member States , Singapore and Vietnamshare an interest in a cohesive and integrated ASEAN. We are thereforeparticipating actively in the ongoing negotiations on the RegionalComprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). Together with theTrans-Pacific Partnership, the RCEP is a possible pathway to our visionof a Free Trade Area of the Asia Pacific, one that will bring tremendousbenefit to our businesses and people.-VNA
“I amhappy that we will be elevating our relations to a Strategic Partnershipduring my visit,” the PM told Vietnam News Agency’s Singapore-basedreporter in an interview before his visit to Vietnam from Sept.11-13.
Following is the full text of the interview:
Reporter: Could you please tell us the main issues that both leaders ofSingapore and Vietnam will be discussing during your visit?
Prime Minister: I am visiting Vietnam tocelebrate the 40th anniversary of diplomatic relations between our twocountries. Singapore and Vietnam enjoy an excellentrelationship. Our economic ties are prospering, trade and investmentflows are growing, and people-to-people ties are flourishing. Wecooperate closely in ASEAN as well as in other regional andinternational fora.
It is timely to take ourbilateral cooperation to the next level. I am happy that we will beelevating our relations to a Strategic Partnership during my visit.Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and I will also officiate theground-breaking ceremony of the 5th Vietnam-Singapore IndustrialPark in Quang Ngai province in Central Vietnam . I also look forwardto exchanging views with Prime Minister Dung and other Vietnameseleaders on regional developments and other issues of mutual concern.
Reporter: During your visit to Vietnam , bothcountries will be announcing the Strategic Partnership. Could you kindlyspeak about the connotations and significance of this agreement?
Prime Minister: The Strategic Partnership is a frameworkto guide bilateral relations. It reflects our excellent friendship, andour shared commitment to expand cooperation into new areas such asfinance, aviation, and the environment. The Strategic Partnership willinject fresh impetus to our relationship, and pave the way for evenstronger relations between Singapore and Vietnam .
Reporter: In your view, what should Singapore and Vietnam do toconstantly consolidate and develop bilateral relations and tocontribute to the realisation of the ASEAN Community by 2015?
Prime Minister: Singapore and Vietnam should continue toexplore new partnerships which meet our countries’ evolving needs. Wehave done so with the Vietnam-Singapore Industrial Parks (VSIP), whichhave progressed from industrial townships to integrated developmentswhere people can “work, live and play”. We should also continue tostrengthen our people-to-people ties, which are at the heart of everybilateral relationship. I look forward to more regular exchanges at alllevels – between our leaders, businesses, and peoples. This will helpSingapore and Vietnam deepen our cooperation on the basis ofmutual respect, trust and benefit.
Singapore-Vietnamrelations fit within the larger context of our cooperation withinASEAN. As fellow ASEAN Member States , Singapore and Vietnamshare an interest in a cohesive and integrated ASEAN. We are thereforeparticipating actively in the ongoing negotiations on the RegionalComprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). Together with theTrans-Pacific Partnership, the RCEP is a possible pathway to our visionof a Free Trade Area of the Asia Pacific, one that will bring tremendousbenefit to our businesses and people.-VNA
