Deputy PM Truong Hoa Binh (R) meets his Singaporean counterpart Heng Swee Keat on September 23, 2019. (Photo: VNA)

Mr. Binh paid a courtesy call to President Halimah Yacob, had talks with his counterpart Heng Swee Keat, and met with Senior Minister and Coordinating Minister for National Security Teo Chee Hean.

Deputy PM Binh said that Vietnam attaches importance to developing cooperation with Singapore on the basis of mutual respect and benefits.

The Singaporean leaders said their country is ready to assist Vietnam in developing smart cities based on local advantages.

Both sides underscored the importance of maintaining peace, stability, security, safety and freedom of navigation and overflight in the East Sea. They called for the peaceful settlement of disputes on the basis of international law, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, the full and effective implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea, and the acceleration of talks to soon finalise an effective and substantive code of conduct in the waters.