Singapore, March 12, 2025 – The Europe Today: General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam, Tô Lâm, held high-level talks with Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong on Wednesday, marking a significant milestone in the bilateral relationship between the two nations. During the meeting, both leaders agreed to elevate the ties between Vietnam and Singapore to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
Prime Minister Wong warmly welcomed General Secretary Tô Lâm, his spouse, and the accompanying high-ranking Vietnamese delegation to Singapore, emphasizing the importance of the visit in strengthening the ties between the two countries. He highlighted the close political, economic, and cultural relations shared by the two nations, as well as their common interests in regional and international issues.
The Vietnamese leader expressed his pleasure in returning to Singapore for the visit, particularly as it coincided with major milestones for both countries—the 80th anniversary of Vietnam’s National Day and the 60th anniversary of Singapore’s National Day. He extended his gratitude to the government and people of Singapore, especially to Prime Minister Wong, for their warm hospitality and support, underscoring that the visit had helped to strengthen mutual understanding and foster opportunities for deeper cooperation.
General Secretary Tô Lâm reaffirmed Vietnam’s commitment to enhancing its partnership with Singapore, emphasizing the nation’s achievements in economic restructuring, digital transformation, sustainable development, and administrative reform. He also highlighted the ongoing efforts to modernize the country’s growth model and promote effective governance.
The two leaders reviewed the significant progress in bilateral cooperation, particularly in trade and investment. With bilateral trade reaching over $9 billion in 2024, Singapore remains Vietnam’s second-largest investment partner, with cumulative investments exceeding $80 billion. Key to this collaboration are the Vietnam-Singapore Industrial Parks (VSIPs), which serve as symbols of successful partnership.
Reflecting on the remarkable progress made since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1973, the leaders agreed to formalize the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. This agreement, the first of its kind between Singapore and any ASEAN country, marks a historic step in deepening the bilateral relationship and fostering long-term cooperation.
In their discussions, both leaders set out key directions for future cooperation, including enhancing political trust through high-level exchanges, expanding economic, trade, and investment ties, and advancing cooperation in areas such as digital transformation, green economy, clean energy, defense, education, tourism, and people-to-people exchanges.
General Secretary Tô Lâm proposed the expansion of the VSIP network, emphasizing the need to focus on innovation, low-carbon emissions, and enhanced collaboration in emerging technologies. PM Wong expressed interest in supporting Vietnam’s seaport and maritime infrastructure development, especially through digital transformation, and reaffirmed Singapore’s commitment to improving human resource quality in Vietnam, particularly among strategic-level officials.
Both leaders also discussed regional matters, agreeing to strengthen ASEAN solidarity and promote sustainable development in sub-regions, such as the Mekong Sub-region. They committed to bolstering ASEAN’s central role in regional affairs and ensuring its continued prosperity.
On the issue of the South China Sea (East Sea), both leaders reiterated their determination to maintain the area as one of peace, cooperation, and development. They emphasized the importance of negotiating a practical and effective Code of Conduct (COC) in the region, in line with international law, particularly the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
The talks concluded with the signing of several cooperation documents in key areas, including wind power trade, digital transformation, transnational crime prevention, and financial innovation. These agreements will serve as a vital foundation for the further development of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between Vietnam and Singapore.
This historic visit and the agreements reached between the two leaders signal a new chapter in the strong and evolving relationship between the two nations.
