Vietnam-Singapore realations: Synergy in Thinking, Extraordinary Outcomes
WVR - The Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between Vietnam and Singapore was established just two weeks ago during the visit of General Secretary To Lam to Singapore. As the significance of that milestone continues to resonate, the official visit of Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and his Spouse to Vietnam (March 25-26) at the invitation of Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh further strengthens the aspiration for a new era in bilateral relations.
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| General Secretary To Lam received Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong. (Source: Nhan Dan Newspaper) |
During his visit to Singapore, General Secretary To Lam repeatedly emphasized, “one plus one is greater than two, two plus two is greater than four,” highlighting the powerful synergy within the bilateral partnership. Just two weeks later, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong reciprocated with his visit to Vietnam, reaffirming the commitment to materializing this new cooperation framework. When thinking is expansive enough, even the simplest equations yield extraordinary outcomes.
Prime Minister Lawrence Wong’s visit to Vietnam with his Spouse is not only the first high-level engagement since the establishment of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership but also a significant highlight as both nations approach 2025 - a year marking the 80th anniversary of Vietnam’s National Day and the 60th anniversary of Singapore’s National Day.
During this visit, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong held talks with Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, attended the groundbreaking ceremony of the VSIP Thai Binh Industrial Park, and met with General Secretary To Lam, President Luong Cuong, and Chairman of the National Assembly Tran Thanh Man
A message of determined action
It is clearly evident in the exchanges that Vietnamese high-ranking leaders and Prime Minister Lawrence Wong shared the same excitement over the new Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. This framework has injected fresh momentum into bilateral cooperation, ushering in a new generation of collaboration.
Vietnam is currently in a phase of "accelerating, making breakthroughs, and reaching its goals," striving for double-digit economic growth from 2026 onwards, with the ambition of building a strong, prosperous, and modern nation. Meanwhile, Singapore is advancing its “Forward Singapore” and “The Singapore Dream” initiatives, aimed at fostering a fair and inclusive society. Leaders from both nations share the belief that this new era of Vietnam-Singapore cooperation will help both countries realize their aspirations on an even greater scale.
Apart from remarkable achievements, such as Singapore's position as Vietnam’s second-largest investor, bilateral trade reaching USD 10.3 billion in 2024, and Vietnam becoming Singapore's largest rice supplier, the two nations are determined to aim even higher aspiration. "Action" is the defining theme of Prime Minister Lawrence Wong’s visit to Vietnam.
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 Vietnam, Singapore Prime Ministers attend VSIP Thai Binh groundbreaking ceremony |
With this spirit, both sides have agreed on "decisive and timely" measures to enhance political trust and achieve breakthroughs under the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. In the near term, priority will be given to the swift finalization and effective implementation of the Action Program for the 2025-2030 period.
During their discussions, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh proposed a "sixfold enhancement" approach: Strengthening political trust, fostering substantive defense and security cooperation, enhancing economic connectivity, deepening people-to-people exchanges, driving breakthroughs in science, technology, and innovation, and expanding regional and international collaboration.
Echoing these principles, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong outlined concrete initiatives, emphasizing the importance of substantive progress in areas such as offshore wind power exports, carbon credit trading, and financial technology cooperation.
It is entirel that the essence of the Vietnam-Singapore Comprehensive Strategic Partnership will soon translate into tangible benefits for businesses and citizens of both nations. This is because both governments are action-oriented and committed to bold, forward-thinking collaboration.
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| President Luong Cuong and Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong. (Source: Nhan Dan Newspaper) |
Two "life cycles", one "mission"
The Vietnam-Singapore Industrial Park (VSIP) model serves as a compelling example of the two nations' successful economic cooperation. The joint groundbreaking ceremony of the VSIP Thai Binh project, attended by both Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, underscores this message.
The 20 existing VSIPs across 14 provinces and cities in Vietnam stand as a testament to the long-standing, effective economic collaboration between the two governments and business communities. The first-generation VSIPs (VSIP 1.0) have become a symbol of sustainable and productive cooperation.
Now, the focus shifts to developing the second-generation VSIPs (VSIP 2.0), characterized by sustainability, smart technology, and high efficiency, aimed at attracting high-quality investment into Vietnam. VSIP 2.0 is expected to become a cornerstone of economic cooperation under the Vietnam-Singapore Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh expressed confidence that VSIP 2.0 will reach even greater heights by leveraging the complementary strengths of both economies: “What Singapore lacks, Vietnam can provide; what Singapore excels at, Vietnam needs.”
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| Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and his spouse, together with Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and his spouse, attended the official welcome ceremony on March 26. (Source: NDO) |
VSIP Thai Binh not only meets high standards for clean technology, greenhouse gas reduction, and energy efficiency optimization but also prioritizes the development of a modern, eco-friendly industrial ecosystem, contributing to the creation of a sustainable and efficient manufacturing environment.
Prime Minister Lawrence Wong also revealed that once VSIP Thai Binh is connected to Lach Huyen Port (Hai Phong) via the expressway, this VSIP will play a pivotal role in supporting major factories in the surrounding areas and attracting investment in high technology, as well as manufacturing and processing industries.
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| Spouses of General Secretary To Lam and Prime Minister Lawrence Wong at the Water Puppetry Theatre, Presidential Palace in Hanoi, on March 26, 2025. (Photo: Nguyen Hong) |
It is clear that, within the framework of this high-level visit by Singaporean leaders, the two countries have taken concrete steps to materialize the model of VSIP 2.0, exemplifying their shared commitment to aligning words with actions.
A regional model of cooperation
Prime Minister Lawrence Wong's visit to Vietnam also reflects the strong ASEAN tradition, where newly appointed leaders prioritize engagements with regional partners. As dynamic members of ASEAN, both Vietnam and Singapore consider the bloc their common home, working together to uphold peace, stability, and development.
The Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the two nations has become a model of dynamic and effective cooperation within ASEAN, strengthening regional mechanisms and contributing to broader international efforts.
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| Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong performed the groundbreaking ceremony for the VSIP Thai Binh Industrial Park project. (Source: VNA) |
Both sides agreed to collaborate with ASEAN members to ensure unity, uphold ASEAN’s centrality, and promote sustainable development, particularly in sub-regions such as the Mekong Delta. They also reaffirmed their commitment to ASEAN's common stance on the South China Sea, emphasizing the importance of freedom of navigation and aviation, full implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC), and efforts toward a substantive and effective Code of Conduct (COC) in line with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
As March draws to a close, both the Lion City and the S-shaped nation celebrate the new milestone of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. Singapore’s founding Prime Minister, Lee Kuan Yew, had unwavering confidence in Vietnam’s potential, just as the Vietnamese people hold deep admiration for Singapore’s remarkable achievements. That mutual trust has been a steadfast foundation and will continue to illuminate the path forward for a new era of cooperation.
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