During the phone call, PM Pham Minh Chinh, on behalf of Party General Secretary To Lam and the Vietnamese Party and State leaders, thanked PM Lawrence Wong for his congratulatory letter on the successful organisation of the recent 14th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam. He also conveyed New Year greetings and best wishes for happiness and prosperity from General Secretary To Lam and the Vietnamese leadership and people to the Secretary-General of the People’s Action Party, the Prime Minister, and the people of Singapore.

PM Lawrence Wong expressed his appreciation and extended New Year greetings on the occasion of the Year of the Horse to General Secretary To Lam, senior Vietnamese leaders and the Vietnamese people.

PM Chinh outlined several proposals to strengthen bilateral cooperation, including continued priority for expanding and upgrading the Vietnam–Singapore Industrial Park (VSIP) network to a second-generation model. Under this model, VSIPs would evolve beyond traditional industrial zones to integrate services, high technology and eco-urban development. The two sides aim to have 30 VSIPs in operation by 2026, marking 30 years since the launch of this successful cooperation model in Vietnam.

The Vietnamese leader welcomed the positive growth in bilateral trade, noting that two-way trade in 2025 increased by 12% compared to 2024. He called on Singapore to further expand imports of Vietnamese agricultural products and effectively implement the Memorandum of Understanding on rice trade to help ensure food security.

PM Chinh also shared Vietnam’s decision to establish an international financial centre in Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang, proposing closer cooperation with Singapore in their development. He stressed that cooperation should be practical and mutually beneficial, leveraging each country’s strengths and complementing one another to attract resources and contribute to overall ASEAN development.

Vietnam requested Singapore’s support in experience sharing and policy advice, as well as enhanced cooperation in financial and banking infrastructure, particularly digital infrastructure, payment systems, cross-border payments, digital identification and cybersecurity. The Prime Minister also encouraged Singaporean banks, investment funds and fintech firms to expand long-term investment and operations in Vietnam.

Highlighting strong cooperation in clean energy, PM Chinh urged both sides to accelerate survey work for offshore wind power projects in Vietnam aimed at exporting electricity to Singapore, and to include the initiative in bilateral intergovernmental cooperation programmes. This would help establish a legal framework and contribute to realising the ASEAN Power Grid.

The two leaders also agreed to boost cooperation in carbon credit trading, further strengthening the Vietnam–Singapore Green Digital Economic Partnership.

The Vietnamese Prime Minister proposed closer defence and security cooperation, particularly in combating transnational crime such as drug trafficking, fraud, financial crime and cybercrime. He also called on Singapore to continue supporting Vietnam in human resource development, especially in training strategic-level leaders, increasing scholarships for Vietnamese students, enhancing people-to-people exchanges, exploring additional direct flights between Singapore and major Vietnamese cities, and promoting tourism.

He underscored the importance of strengthening cooperation to reinforce ASEAN unity and its central role, particularly in addressing regional challenges.

PM Lawrence once again congratulated Vietnam on the success of the recent 14th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam, expressing confidence in the country’s strong growth potential and reaffirming Singapore’s commitment to expanding investment in the country, including increasing the number of VSIPs.

Welcoming Vietnam’s establishment of the international financial centre, PM Lawrence noted that their development requires not only infrastructure but also sound institutions and legal frameworks. He affirmed that Singapore remains a trusted partner, ready to support Vietnam in developing the centre effectively.

The Singaporean Prime Minister also agreed to enhance cooperation in clean energy, defence and security, continue supporting Vietnam’s human resource development, encourage Singaporean universities to offer more scholarships, and further increase people-to-people exchanges.

Both leaders reaffirmed their commitment to close coordination in 2027, when Vietnam will host APEC and Singapore will serve as ASEAN Chair, working together to strengthen ASEAN unity and connectivity initiatives.

PM Lawrence affirmed that Singapore will continue working closely with Vietnam to make the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership increasingly substantive and effective.

Source: VOV