The visit is taking place at the invitation of Singapore’s Prime Minister and Secretary-General of the People’s Action Party (PAP), Lawrence Wong.

Welcoming General Secretary To Lam, his spouse, and the Vietnamese delegation at Changi Airport were Singapore’s Minister for Manpower Tan See Leng, Singapore’s Ambassador to Vietnam Jaya Ratnam, and senior officials from the Singapore Ministry of Foreign Affairs, alongside Vietnamese Ambassador to Singapore Tran Phuoc Anh and staff from the Vietnamese Embassy.

This is General Secretary To Lam’s first visit to Singapore in his current role, marking an important milestone in the longstanding and robust partnership between the two nations.

A historic visit reinforcing Vietnam-Singapore relations

Singapore’s Ambassador to Vietnam, Jaya Ratnam, highlighted that Vietnam and Singapore share a deep-rooted and enduring relationship. In 2023, the two countries celebrated 50 years of diplomatic ties and 10 years of strategic partnership. Given these milestones, Singapore is eagerly anticipating and highly valuing this historic visit, as the last visit by a Vietnamese General Secretary took place in 2012.

Ambassador Ratnam emphasized that both countries are at a pivotal stage in their relationship, looking to elevate their cooperation to new heights. This year, Vietnam commemorates 80 years of independence, while Singapore marks its 60th anniversary of national independence.

Amid an increasingly challenging regional and global landscape, including pressures on multilateral systems, the two nations seek to collaborate closely to navigate and overcome shared challenges.

Expanding economic cooperation in a new era

In 2023, Vietnam and Singapore initiated a green and digital economy partnership, aligning with Vietnam’s ambition for high economic growth in the coming years.

Singapore remains one of Vietnam’s most significant economic partners, leading in foreign direct investment (FDI) for the past three years.

By 2024, Singapore’s total accumulated investment in Vietnam had reached approximately $80 billion across nearly 4,000 projects.

Last year, Vietnam ranked as Singapore’s 11th largest trading partner, but by January 2024, it had risen to the 9th position, demonstrating the strong momentum of bilateral trade and investment growth.

Ambassador Jaya Ratnam emphasized that with a shared history and common development goals, Vietnam and Singapore are poised to become even more effective partners in this new era.

Vietnam-Singapore Industrial Park (VSIP): A symbol of cooperation

One of the most iconic symbols of the Vietnam-Singapore partnership is the Vietnam-Singapore Industrial Park (VSIP) initiative.

Currently, there are 18 VSIPs across 13 provinces in Vietnam, with a combined investment value of $22 billion and the creation of 300,000 jobs. Out of these, 10 parks are already operational, while 8 more are under development.

Looking ahead, Singapore expects even greater investments to flow into Vietnam, reinforcing the dynamic economic partnership between the two countries.

Beyond trade and investment, people-to-people ties remain a strong pillar of the Vietnam-Singapore relationship. More than 20,000 Vietnamese nationals live and work in Singapore, while many Singaporeans frequently visit Vietnam for business and tourism.

Vietnamese cuisine is especially popular in Singapore, with Vietnamese restaurants and food outlets found across the city-state.

Ambassador Ratnam described these cultural and economic connections as the foundation of an enduring and ever-strengthening partnership between Vietnam and Singapore.

Tran Thuong