Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee Nguyen Van Nen (R) and Singaporean Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat. (Photo: SGGP)
Mr. Nguyen Van Nen said that HCMC had been making efforts to develop socio-economic infrastructure; respond to climate change, subsidence, and sea level rise; develop green and clean energy to meet the general development requirements of the world, as well as the wishes of HCMC citizens. The meeting with Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat and the Singaporean Coordinating Economic Policy delegation on this occasion was meaningful.
Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee Nguyen Van Nen (R) and Singaporean Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat. (Photo: SGGP)
Regarding cooperation, according to Mr. Nguyen Van Nen, HCMC and localities in Singapore are holding many active activities towards the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations and the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the strategic partnership between Vietnam and Singapore in 2023. There are still room and potential for cooperation between the two countries. Therefore, it is necessary to promote further substantive cooperation and investment activities, especially in the fields of trade, education and training, culture, and public administration reform, to promote socio-economic development, contributing to enhancing the diplomatic relations between the two countries.
The scene of the meeting. (Photo: SGGP)
Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat highly appreciated the efforts of the Governments of Vietnam and HCMC in Covid-19 prevention and control. Regarding the focus of cooperation between the two sides in the coming time, Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat suggested that HCMC focus on promoting digital transformation and the digital economy and prioritizing green technology and sustainable development. In which, planning, infrastructure construction, finance, and banking are the pillars and backbones. At the same time, the city should promote the application of achievements of science and technology and the Internet of Things to aim at building a smart, green, clean, beautiful, and livable city; developing a substantive economy; building an economy that is resilient to pandemics or crises.
Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee Nguyen Van Nen (R) gives a gift to Singaporean Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat. (Photo: SGGP)
Singapore wishes to cooperate with HCMC to develop the aviation sector further to boost tourism; develop sea routes for the transportation of goods, and accelerate the development of digital infrastructure and cyber security. Localities of the two countries need to create more good conditions to encourage enterprises to innovate, cooperate, improve investment quality, and foster sustainable development. On the same day, Mr. Phan Van Mai, Member of the Party Central Committee, Standing Deputy Secretary of the HCMC Party Committee, Chairman of the People's Committee of HCMC, also had a meeting with Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat. He affirmed that HCMC always properly recognizes its roles and responsibilities in the diplomatic relationship between Vietnam and Singapore. He also expressed the city’s desire to learn and cooperate with Singapore on the matters of governance and digital transformation application for smart governance; social issues of the city, such as housing, traffic, flooding, and sustainable development. Besides, the city would regularly send officials to Singapore to study to build the city.
Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee Phan Van Mai (R) and Singaporean Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat. (Photo: SGGP)
Singapore's Deputy Prime Minister said that digital transformation and sustainable development are important issues when looking ahead. In addition, the competition between major economies also creates more opportunities for Vietnam and Singapore in particular, and the ASEAN, in general, for countries to cooperate to build a more sustainable community.
Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee Phan Van Mai (R) and Singaporean Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat. (Photo: SGGP)
He also informed that Singapore President Halimah Yacob would pay a visit to Vietnam and HCMC in the near future, which will mark a milestone in the close relationship between the two countries. Next year, when the two countries celebrate the 50th anniversary of their diplomatic relations, Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong is expected to visit Vietnam and HCMC. Singapore has also sent an invitation to Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh to visit Singapore.
Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee Phan Van Mai (R) gives a gift to Singaporean Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat. (Photo: SGGP)
