Some 550 leaders, politicians, cabinet members, professors, and academics attended the event. State President Tran Dai Quang was the first Vietnamese leader to attend and address Singapore Lecture.
In his speech, the leader stated that peace, stability and co-operation for development have become an inevitable demand of all nations and a major trend in today’s world. He also noted that resolving global challenges needs concerted efforts from every single country in the world instead of individual effort. He stressed that “The seriousness of these challenges is extremely worrying as long as the ‘might makes right’ mind-set and the resort to the use of force still exist”.
He said the Asia-Pacific, including Southeast Asia, continues to be a dynamic development hub with a growing geo-strategic, economic and political importance in today’s world. Yet, he also expressed worry about the recent situation on the East Sea which could adversely affect regional security and development.
Regarding ASEAN, he said with a vision beyond its own interests, the bloc has been expressing its voice, with more responsibility and ever more strongly, over the common concerns of the international and regional community.
"Vietnam pursues a consistent policy of independence, self-reliance, peace, co-operation and development; multilateralisation and diversification of external relations, proactive international integration, being ready to be a friend, reliable partner and responsible member in the international community. Vietnam pays close attention to the development of traditional friendly relations with neighbouring countries, the promotion of cooperative relations with major and important partners, the improvement of integration, and the fulfilment of all international commitments. Regarding the East Sea issue, it is our consistent position to remain resolute and persistent in the defence of national independence, sovereignty and territorial unity and integrity. We seek to settle disputes by peaceful means through the political, diplomatic and legal process on the basis of international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea", said State President Tran Dai Quang.
At the event, the state president also answered questions from international academics on the role of Vietnam in promoting ASEAN's consensus and bolstering the Singapore-Vietnam relationship in the coming time. He expressed Vietnam’s wishes to co-operate with Singapore further deepen the strategic partnership across all areas, especially politics, economics, and exchanges.
"In the meeting with the Singaporean government, we both agreed that the two countries should develop bilateral co-operation. We have also set out our key concerns to bolster the strategic partnership to higher level, for the shared benefit and regional peace", said State President Tran Dai Quang.
The state president’s participation at Singapore Lecture gave the two nations a chance to understand more about each other, opening up further opportunities for co-operation in the coming time. The Singapore Lecture is a leading forum for the island country and provides a platform for leaders such Chinese Communist Party General Secretary and President Xi Jinping, former US President George Bush and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to speak about regional and international issues.
