The establishment of the Strategic Partnership in September 2013 was just the first page of a new chapter in the Singapore-Vietnam relationship. Singapore is committed to exploring new opportunities to further this relationship. Vietnam Business Forum interviewed Singapore Ambassador Ng Teck Hean regarding the fine relations between the two countries. Thu Ha reports.
How do you assess
the cooperation between Vietnam and Singapore in recent times, especially after the upgrading to the Strategic Partnership in September 2013?
The cooperation between Singapore and Vietnam continues to grow from strength to strength, buttressed by the elevation of bilateral ties to a Strategic Partnership in September 2013. Singapore highly values our Strategic Partnership with Vietnam, which is one of only three such partnerships Singapore has established. Since then, our two countries have kept up the momentum of visits by leaders and officials from both sides, including the visit by our Emeritus Senior Minister and former Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong to Vietnam in September last year. Our economic links have also expanded at a robust pace, with Singapore ranked as Vietnam’s third largest investor with over US$32.7 billion invested across over 1,350 projects as of end-2014. The five Vietnam-Singapore Industrial Parks, spread across the country, are also testament to Singapore’s long-standing engagement of Vietnam. We have also deepened people-to-people ties through the various technical assistance programmes, as well as scholarships offered by the Singapore Government to outstanding Vietnamese students and civil servants.
Nonetheless, the establishment of the Strategic Partnership was just the first page of a new chapter in the Singapore-Vietnam relationship. Singapore is committed to exploring new opportunities to further our already excellent relationship. The establishment of the ASEAN Economic Community in 2015, as well as the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement, which we hope to conclude this year, will provide more of such opportunities for cooperation, both bilaterally as well as regionally. We seek the Vietnamese government’s continued support and attention in prioritising this Strategic Partnership, particularly in terms of maintaining a conducive and favourable environment for Singaporean investments to flourish, for the prosperity of both our peoples. While our companies take a long-term view towards investments in Vietnam, a stable business climate with investor-friendly laws would go a long way in anchoring them here, especially in a region which is increasingly competitive.
How do you assess Vietnam’s efforts to restructure the economy over the past 3 years? What does it mean for foreign investment?
Vietnam has taken concrete steps towards the restructuring of its economy. We see this especially in the banking and state-owned sectors. We welcome these reforms, which, when implemented fully, will contribute to the stability of the Vietnamese economy and make it more attractive to foreign investors. Ensuring strong economic fundamentals will also enhance Vietnam’s competitiveness and help it take better advantage of the free trade agreements it is currently negotiating. Like other foreign investors, Singaporean companies hope that ongoing efforts to strengthen Vietnam’s legal institutions and streamline procedures will continue, as they will boost the confidence and ease with which foreign investors do business in Vietnam.
The restructuring process also presents many new opportunities for cooperation between Singapore and Vietnam. For example, the reforms in the banking sector will allow for greater participation by Singapore banks keen on expanding their operations in Vietnam. Singapore companies also see the economic potential of some of Vietnam’s state-owned enterprises and are interested to take part in their equitisation process. These companies have already expressed their interest to the relevant authorities, and they look forward to receiving more comprehensive and timely information on how they can actively participate in Vietnam’s growth.
Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung (R) and his Singaporean Counterpart Lee Hsien Loong
Could you share the plan of the Embassy of Singapore to promote cooperation between the two countries in the coming year?
The Singapore Embassy will continue to explore new avenues to build on existing bilateral cooperation. On the government-to-government level, we are planning for several high-level visits by Singapore leaders to Vietnam, including the visit of our Speaker of Parliament Mdm Halimah Yacob. Some of our Singaporean companies are also looking to expand their operations in Vietnam this year. Significantly, Singapore will be celebrating the 50th Anniversary of our independence in 2015. In commemoration of Singapore’s Golden Jubilee, the Embassy will work closely with our Vietnamese partners to encourage greater interaction between our two peoples, especially amongst our youth. There are plans for Singapore youth volunteers to visit Vietnam and participate in community development projects, as well as for Vietnam to send a performing troupe to join in our Chingay Festival, which is part of Singapore’s celebrations for the Lunar New Year. Such strong people-to-people ties, supported by excellent cooperation between our governments and enterprises, are key to the continued success of the Strategic Partnership between Singapore and Vietnam.
Đăng ký: VietNam News
