At the talks between Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh and his Singaporean counterpart Teo Chee Hean in Hanoi on March 22 (Photo: VNA)

Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh told his Singaporean counterpart Teo Chee Hean in Hanoi on Friday that the Vietnam-Singapore strategic partnership has grown toward practical outcomes, with politics-diplomacy ties deepened based on trust and the maintenance of exchange of visits across all levels and all channels. Cooperation in defence- security has been deepened while that in culture, science-technology, and education has recorded positive progresses. Bilateral trade hit 7.7 billion USD last year, making Singapore the 4th biggest trade partner of Vietnam in ASEAN. The country was also the 3rd largest foreign investor in Vietnam with a total capital of 48 billion USD. Mr. Binh suggested the two sides hold regular high-level visit exchanges and meetings in various fields.

The Singaporean Deputy PM said his visit aims to bolster bilateral ties. At the talks, the sides reviewed past cooperation and discussed in depth bilateral collaboration in trade, investment, environmental protection, justice, cyber security, anti-corruption, fire prevention, and anti-drug crime.

The same day, Head of the Vietnamese Party Central Committee's Commission for Communication and Education, Vo Van Thuong met with visiting Singaporean Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean. Mr. Thuong said Vietnam and Singapore have an effective cooperative ties, especially in cadre training, and sharing management and leadership experience. Mr. Thuong asked Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean to continue helping foster bilateral cooperation in education, training, people-to-people exchange, high-quality human resource training, and science.