(VOVworld) – ASEAN should be united and more responsible for regional issues. Chiefs of the delegations of Vietnamese and Singaporean Foreign Ministries reached the consensus at the ninth political consultation in Hanoi on Monday.

Second Permanent Secretary of Foreign Affairs of Singapore Chee Wee Kiong (L) and Deputy PM Pham Binh Minh (Photo: VNA)

Both sides also agreed on improving bilateral cooperation and continuing to link up the two economies by encouraging investment in infrastructure, seaports, and equitisation of State-owned enterprises.

The two countries will work closely together to build a 6^th Vietnam-Singapore Industrial Parks in Nghe An and a seventh in Hai Duong, while boosting their national defence-security partnership.

Xuan Phuong Urban Area in Hanoi’s outlying district of Nam Tu Liem. (Photo: VNA)

Vietnam and Singapore agreed to advance their educational cooperation by providing more scholarships and short-term training courses for Vietnamese government and Party officials. Tourism coordination will continue, especially cruise tourism.

Both sides vowed to partner with other ASEAN members to successfully build the ASEAN Community.

They underscored ASEAN’s unity and central role in regional cooperation and evolving regional architecture, and shared the view that ASEAN needs to raise a common voice on key regional issues, including the East Sea, and reach a consensus on a Code of Conduct in the East Sea for regional peace, stability, cooperation, and development.

As a coordinator until 2018, Singapore will reinforce links between ASEAN and China. The next political consultation is slated for 2016 in Singapore.