Top Vietnamese, Singaporean legislators hold online talks

The two leaders shared the view that Vietnam and Singapore have close ties both bilaterally and within the framework of ASEAN and multilateral forums. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, both sides have offered mutual support at national and regional level, including in fair distribution of COVID-19 vaccines via the COVAX Facility.

They said the two countries have held the same stances and visions on maintaining the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)’s central role and solidarity.

The leaders agreed that the Vietnam-Singapore Industrial Parks have drawn over US$14 billion in investment and generated more than 270,000 jobs, proving fruitful economic ties and contributing to the Vietnam – Singapore strategic partnership. Singapore is now the largest foreign investor in the country, showing its enterprises’ trust in Vietnam.

Amid complicated developments of the COVID-19 pandemic, they agreed to continue sharing experience, especially in accessing vaccines and adopting technological advances in pandemic prevention and control.

Both top legislators expressed their wish to further boost the bilateral strategic partnership, including relations between the two legislatures.

They agreed to continue maintaining meetings in different forms, working closely together at multilateral forums such as the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly, the Inter-Parliamentary Union, the Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum and other multilateral parliamentary organisations, and supporting each other's stances on regional and global issues of shared concern.

NA Chairman Hue suggested discussing the possibility of mutual recognition of vaccine certificates, soon reaching an agreement on priority travelling mechanism, and resuming commercial flights when conditions allow.

He also proposed considering the signing of a cooperation agreement between the two legislatures to lay a legal foundation for cooperation activities, lifting legislative ties to be on par with the bilateral strategic partnership. Further attention should be paid to upholding the role of the two law-making bodies in promoting the bilateral relationship.

The Singaporean Speaker agreed with NA Chairman Hue's proposals, saying that the two countries’ mutual support in the region and multilateral forums play a extremely important role.

He stressed that ASEAN has an important position thanks to collective power of each member state, including Vietnam’s increasing stature in the region.