TIES between Singapore and Vietnam have grown even during the recession, President S R Nathan said on Monday, and look set to deepen as the economic gloom lifts.
At least five senior leaders from both sides have exchanged visits in the past year, one of which concluded with the signing of a defence cooperation pact in September, Mr Nathan said at a state banquet he hosted for visiting Vietnam President Nguyen Minh Triet. Trade ties remained robust.
'Our strong political ties are complemented by equally strong economic ties that continue to deepen even amidst the global financial crisis,' Mr Nathan said.
The state visit is a culmination of a year of high-level bilateral exchanges and serves to further cement already strong bilateral ties, he said.
Mr Nathan announced that in January, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong will travel to Vietnam, where he will launch the fourth phase of the Vietnam-Singapore Industrial Park (VSIP) in Haiphong, the third-largest province there.
The VSIP is a flagship cooperation project launched in 1996, and now stands on about 5,000ha of land in three provinces in north and south Vietnam. Total foreign investments are valued at over US$2.4 billion (S$3.3 billion).
Source:straitstimes.com
No comments:
Post a Comment