(VOVworld) – On Tuesday, Head of the External Relations Commission of the Party Central Committee Hoang Binh Quan received Singaporean Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan, who is on an official visit to Vietnam.

Head of the External Relations Commission of the Party Central Committee Hoang Binh Quan received Singaporean Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan in Hanoi on October 25 (VNA)

Mr. Quan hailed the development in the relationship between Vietnam and Singapore in recent years, including training officials for the Communist Party of Vietnam. He urged the two sides to implement signed agreements, use cooperation mechanisms efficiently, and promote comprehensive cooperation with attention paid to high-level exchanges. He said Vietnam and Singapore should boost cooperation in trade, investment, education, training, and cooperation at international and regional multilateral forums. Quan said he hopes Singapore, as a coordinating country for the China-ASEAN relationship, will continue to boost the China-ASEAN relationship, push for the implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC), and the signing of the Code of Conduct (COC) in the East Sea to make the sea a region of peace, cooperation, and development.

The Singaporean Minister said Singapore values cooperative relations with Vietnam in trade, human resource training, education, and tourism in the spirit of the strategic partnership.

Minister Vivian said Singapore has a practical interest in ensuring the freedom of maritime and over-flight navigation and wants all sides to observe international law and use ASEAN’s influence to turn the East Sea into a region of peace and friendship.