Seeing that time is now ripe for the two nations’ bilateral
relationship, the two leaders agree that Vietnam and Singapore will clinch a
strategic partnership agreement in 2013.
Vietnam and Singapore have
pledged to lift their relationship to “strategic partnership” status next year.
The upgrade from “comprehensive cooperation” was announced during Party General
Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong’s talks with Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien
Loong during Trong’s first visit to Singapore on September 12-14.
“Seeing that time is now ripe for
the two nations’ bilateral relationship, the two leaders agree that Vietnam and
Singapore will clinch a strategic partnership agreement in 2013 when they will
celebrate the 40th anniversary of their bilateral diplomatic relationship,”
said a joint press statement release.
“This agreement will sharpen the
existing relationship between Vietnam and Singapore and usher in a new
cooperation orientation in sectors of education, training, finance, national
defense and security,” the statement said.
At present, Vietnam has strategic
partnerships with India, the UK, Japan, Spain, South Korea and Germany. The US
and Indonesia are also seeking such a relationship with Vietnam. Vietnam also
has “comprehensive strategic partnerships” with China, Laos and Russia.
During this visit, the two
leaders signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on finance cooperation,
under which the two sides would exchange banking visits and share experiences
in public financial management in such sectors as tax management and policy,
one-door customs and electronic-based customs.
Moreover, the leaders also
approved the second amended protocol on double taxation avoidance and a deal on
research and training programmes for Vietnam Communist Party officials.
Also during Trong’s talks with
Loong and his meeting with Singaporean President Tony Tan Keng Yam, the leaders
also vowed to expand cooperation in education and training, science and
technology, tourism, national defense and security.
Trong said Vietnam would give
incentives to Singaporean investors in high technology, land management, urban
management, supporting industries, oil and gas services and sea-based logistics
projects.
The leaders underlined the need
to improve the implementation of the Singapore-Vietnam Connectivity Framework
Agreement established in 2005 that links the two economies.
The two sides also pledged to
“closely cooperate with each other to realise the target of building the ASEAN
Community by 2015 to ensure long-term growth and prosperity of the whole
region.”
They expressed concerns on recent
complications in the East Sea, saying that the concerned parties should aim to
settle the disputes by peaceful means on the basis of the international law,
the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the Declaration on
Conduct of the Parties in the East Sea (DOC), proceeding to the Code of Conduct
(COC) in the East Sea.
Vietnam’s Ministry of Planning
and Investment reported the country was now home to 1,063 Singaporean
investment projects worth $23.31 billion, ranking Singapore as Vietnam’s fourth
largest foreign investor. In this year’s first eight months, Vietnam attracted
60 Singaporean investment projects, with total registered capital of $420.67
million. In 2011, the two countries’ bilateral trade rose 22 per cent to reach
$15 billion and Singapore was Vietnam’s 8th largest trading partner. The two
nations forged diplomatic relationship in August 1, 1973.
Khoi Nguyen | vir.com.vn
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