Singapore (VNA) - Singaporeis committed to cooperating closely with Vietnam so that both countries canemerge stronger post-pandemic, Singaporean Foreign Minister VivianBalakrishnan said ahead of his trip toVietnam to attend the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) High Level Policy Dialogue from June20-23.

Inan interview granted to the Vietnam News Agency’s correspondents in Singapore,the minister noted that Singaporeand Vietnam have a close Strategic Partnership anchored by strong political andeconomic relations, warm people-to-people ties, and wide-ranging cooperation.He described the Vietnam-Singapore Industrial Parks in seven locations acrossVietnam as icons of the two countries’ excellent economic collaboration. 

The minister went on to saythat the two countries also work closely in many regional and multilateral foraincluding ASEAN and the UN, and share a common interest in promoting afree, inclusive and rules-based multilateral trading system.

He stressed that despite the impact of COVID-19pandemic on the global economy, trade and investment ties between Singapore andVietnam remain strong, calling attention to the fact that Singapore wasVietnam’s largest source of Foreign Direct Investment in 2020 and also thefirst quarter of 2021.

“We have supported each other during thisdifficult time, including by exchanging donations of medical supplies andworking together to keep regional supply chains open. Both countries are alsofully committed to vaccine multilateralism, as well as the fair and equitabledistribution of vaccines. We have also collaborated closely with Vietnam duringVietnam’s ASEAN Chairmanship in 2020 and non-permanent membership on the UNSecurity Council in 2020 and 2021,” Balakrishnan said.

 According to him, as the two countries prepareto reopen their borders, they can consider how to gradually and safely resumetravel between Vietnam and Singapore.  

“I believe that this willhave a positive impact on our economic recovery. In the longer term, we canjointly explore ways to strengthen supply chain resilience and regionalresponses to future pandemics. We look forward to further enhance our StrategicPartnership by pursuing new areas of collaboration, such as clean energy,technological innovation, and the digital economy,” the minister said.

TheSingaporean FM said he is gladto be visiting Vietnam again, and he looks forward to discussing with the newVietnamese leadership ways to grow the two countries’ substantive relations,and exchange views on regional and international developments of mutual concern./.