Vietnam, Singapore work towards mutual recognition of vaccination certificates

Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh put forth a range of measures on June 22 in Hanoi as part of efforts to ramp up the nation’s Singapore strategic partnership while receiving Singaporean Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan.

The Singaporean diplomat stated that the mutual strategic partnership has been growing in a substantive and effective manner with high political trust and great co-operation potential. This is especially true as both sides are members of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). Both sides share many common benefits as part of efforts to combat the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) and are ramping up co-operation towards post-pandemic recovery, he added.

Minister Balakrishnan briefed his host on the outcomes of talks with his Vietnamese counterpart Bui Thanh Son on June 21, including proposals to establish working groups in response to COVID-19, co-operation in the digital economy as well as facilitating travel between the two countries.

Welcoming Minister Balakrishnan, Deputy PM Minh outlined how highly valued the Singaporean Government’s efforts to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic are, along with their success in launching a major vaccination rollout. He went on to express his hope that Singapore will share its experience and co-operate alongside Vietnam to apply high technology as part of rapid testing and contact tracing, whilst also accessing safe and effective vaccines.

He praised both sides for working together to quickly establish and hold meetings between their working groups on COVID-19 response, along with a mutual recognition of each other’s vaccination certificates. The Deputy PM also noted his great appreciation for the co-operation in the digital economy to create momentum as part of economic recovery and development moving into the new normal.

Furthermore, Deputy PM Minh suggested that the two sides aim to devise a range of measures in order to effectively carry out co-operation aspects within the framework of the Vietnam-Singapore economic connectivity agreement. This includes organising the 15th connectivity ministerial meeting, promoting the effective and balanced development of trade, and developing existing Vietnam-Singapore industrial parks (VSIPs) towards smart, high-tech, innovative, and environmentally-friendly ones.

Moreover, he requested that Singapore continue capacity building co-operation programmes in the Mekong sub-region, co-ordinate viewpoints on regional and international issues of shared concern, including the East Sea issue, and reinforce the solidarity and centrality of ASEAN.

In response, Minister Balakrishnan pledged closer co-ordination with the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs to intensify all-level mutual visits and effectively realise directions issued by the two countries’ leaders. The aim of this is to help develop the strategic partnership extensively and substantively on the basis of mutual political trust and common benefits.