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Singapore (VNA) – National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan suggested Vietnamand Singapore maintain meetings and visits at all channels and levels, whilejoining hands to celebrate the 45th anniversary of bilateraldiplomatic ties in 2018.

The top Vietnamese legislator made the suggestion during her meeting with SingaporeanPresident Halimah Yacob on November 27 as part of her official visitto the country.

Highlighting the fruitful political ties between Vietnam and Singapore, NAChairwoman Ngan said progresses have also been made in cooperation in trade,investment, national defence and security, culture and people-to-peopleexchange.

The Vietnam-Singapore Industrial Park (VSIP) has become a symbol of successfuland mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries, she said, describingSingapore as Vietnam’s leading trade and investment partner, and a countrywhich has trained many Vietnamese students.

The chief legislator underscored Halimah Yacob’s contributions to legislativeties between Vietnam and Singapore in her capacity as Singapore’s ParliamentSpeaker in the past, saying the two sides have regularly exchanged high-leveldelegations, information and experience.

She expressed her hope that President Halimah Yacob will contribute more to therelations between the two parliaments, thus helping deepen the strategicpartnership between the two countries.

The NA Chairwoman extended President Tran Dai Quang’s invitation to President HalimahYacob to visit Vietnam on the occasion of the 45th anniversary ofbilateral diplomatic ties in 2018.

In reply,President Halimah Yacob praised Vietnam’s efforts in successfully hosting theAsia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders’ Week in the central cityof Da Nang from November 6-11.

She also applauded outcomes of cooperation between Vietnam and Singapore acrossspheres, especially in economy, saying Singapore is Vietnam’s third largestinvestor.

The President used the occasion to call for Vietnam’s support for Singapore asthe rotating Chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in2018.

Stressing Vietnam’s role in advancing the Comprehensive and ProgressiveAgreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), formerly known as theTrans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) Agreement, Halimah Yacob said concerned partiesshould continue to concretise the deal for early approval and implementation,thus benefiting Vietnam, Singapore and other signatories.

The President noted her hope that Vietnamese and Singaporean firms will seekbusiness opportunities during NA Chairwoman Ngan’s visit.

She called on the two countries to step up cooperation within ASEAN, informingthat ASEAN 1018 will take the theme of resilience and innovation.

Halimah Yacob also underlined the need for ASEAN to enhance intra-bloccooperation to deal with common issues and speed up the formation of a Code ofConduct in the East Sea (COC).

She said apart from political, economic and cultural links, people-to-peopleexchange also plays an important role, adding that many Singaporeans now wantto visit Vietnam.-VNA