SINGAPORE: Prime Minister Lawrence Wong (pic) will be making a two-day visit to Hanoi, Vietnam, starting from Tuesday (March 25), to meet the country’s top leaders and build upon recently strengthened bilateral ties.
PM Wong’s introductory visit to Hanoi is at the invitation of his Vietnamese counterpart Pham Minh Chinh, Singapore’s Prime Minister’s Office said in a statement on March 24.
Both prime ministers are expected to witness the exchange of several agreements between the two countries, which recently pledged to deepen cooperation in areas such as the digital economy, cross-border electricity trade and sustainable infrastructure cooperation, among others.
Singapore and Vietnam on March 12 elevated bilateral ties, with both sides committing to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership during a visit by Communist Party of Vietnam general secretary To Lam to Singapore.
PM Wong said then that the partnership sets out how both countries will work together in strategic areas such as defence and security, combating transnational crime, and humanitarian aid and disaster relief.
It also reflects both sides’ shared commitment to deepen cooperation in new and emerging areas, he added.
During his visit this week, PM Wong, who is also Finance Minister, will take part in a welcome ceremony at the Presidential Palace and be hosted to an official dinner by Chinh.
He will also call on Lam and President Luong Cuong, and meet Chinh as well as the chairman of the National Assembly Tran Thanh Man.
During the trip, PM Wong will be accompanied by Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister for Manpower and Second Minister for Trade and Industry Tan See Leng, Minister of State for Health and Digital Development and Information Rahayu Mahzam, and other senior government officials.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry Gan Kim Yong will be the Acting Prime Minister in PM Wong’s absence. - The Straits Times/ANN
