Joint Press Statement: Official Visit to Singapore by the General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam His Excellency Nguyen Phu Trong, 12 - 14 September 2012

General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Nguyen Phu Trong is on an Official Visit to Singapore from 12 to 14 September 2012 at the invitation of H.E. Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong of Singapore. On 12 September 2012, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong held talks with Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.

During their talks, both leaders acknowledged the excellent bilateral relations between our countries and reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthen our partnership and cooperation bilaterally and for the benefit of ASEAN.  In recognition of the warm and maturing relationship, both leaders agreed that Singapore and Vietnam would work towards signing a Strategic Partnership agreement in 2013, on the occasion of the 40^th Anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Singapore and Vietnam.  The Strategic Partnership agreement will elevate the existing links between Singapore and Vietnam, and open up new directions for cooperation in various areas, including cooperation in education, training, finance, defence, and security.

Both leaders reviewed bilateral areas of engagement including the growing exchanges between the governments, businesses and peoples of Vietnam and Singapore.  They recognised the importance of the Connectivity Framework Agreement in deepening bilateral economic cooperation, took note of the substantive outcomes of the bilateral trade and investment cooperation, and acknowledged the success of the Vietnam-Singapore Industrial Parks as a model for bilateral economic cooperation.  In addition, both leaders renewed their commitment to enhance bilateral trade and to encourage the flow of investments between Vietnam and Singapore. Both leaders also expressed satisfaction at the new developments in bilateral cooperation in the fields of tourism, education, and training.

General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong also had a good exchange of views on regional and international issues.  They discussed recent developments in Southeast Asia and reaffirmed their commitment to work together on initiatives to consolidate ASEAN as the central driving force in the evolving regional architecture. Both leaders agreed on the importance of achieving peace, stability, cooperation, and development in the region, as well as improving connectivity between Southeast Asia and the rest of the world.

Both countries are also committed to cooperating closely to realise the goal of building an ASEAN Community by 2015 to ensure the long-term growth and prosperity of the region. The two leaders also discussed developments in the South China Sea, and agreed that the situation should be resolved peacefully in accordance with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC).  Both leaders also hoped that ASEAN-China discussions on the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea (COC) could commence as soon as possible. In addition, both leaders agreed to work closely in advancing regional initiatives such as the Trans-Pacific Partnership.

Following their meeting, both leaders witnessed the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding on Financial Cooperation, the Second Protocol Amending the Agreement between Singapore and Vietnam for the Avoidance of Double Taxation, and the Agreement on the Study Visit Programme and Executive Education Programme for Senior CPV officials.  

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MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF THE REPUBLIC OF SINGAPORE

MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF THE SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF VIET NAM

12 SEPTEMBER 2012

FACT SHEET ON THE AGREEMENT ON THE STUDY VISIT PROGRAMME AND EXECUTIVE EDUCATION PROGRAMME FOR

SENIOR COMMUNIST PARTY OF VIETNAM OFFICIALS (2013 TO 2015)

Singapore’s Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office and Second Minister for Environment and Water Resources and Foreign Affairs Grace Fu and Vietnam’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Pham Binh Minh signed an Agreement on the Study Visit Programme and Executive Education Programme for senior Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) officials on 12 September 2012 during CPV General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong’s Official Visit to Singapore. 

2                 Under this Agreement, the CPV will send senior-level officials to Singapore for study visits and to attend executive education programmes on topics relevant to Vietnam’s development, such as (but not limited to) urban planning and development, transport management, public administration, and international issues.  The Agreement will be in force from 2013 to 2015. This Agreement broadens the scope of our bilateral cooperation in human resource development with the CPV, and builds on an earlier Agreement signed in 2010 under which CPV officials visit Singapore to study our policies on public governance and anti-corruption for three years from 2011 to 2013.

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MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS

SINGAPORE

12 SEPTEMBER 2012