>>> President pays State visit to Brunei and Singapore
The visit aims to continue implementing the foreign policy of the 12th National Party Committee developing Vietnam’s international relationships in an intensive fashion, through strengthening friendly relations and multifaceted co-operation with Brunei and the strategic partnership with Singapore.
Brunei, also called the Abode of Peace, is situated in Southeast Asia with an area of 5,769 square kilometres. Of its population of 460,786, 67% are followers of Islam. Brunei follows a monarchy system which is headed by a sultan. With an abundance of oil, natural gas and wood, Brunei has developed strongly into a prosperous nation with its income per capital reaching US$40,000 in 2015. Under the leadership of Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, Brunei has reaped a number of outstanding achievements of significance to national construction and the development cause over the past decades. The “kingdom of oil” is exerting efforts to successfully realise the National Vision 2035, developing Brunei into a developed and prosperous country with an increasingly important role in the region and the world.
The friendly relations and multifaceted between Vietnam and Brunei have been growing finely since the two countries first established diplomatic ties on February 29, 1992. Both sides have regularly exchanged high-level visits and attended meetings. Bilateral economic, trade and investment relations have been flourishing, with two-way trade reaching nearly US$74 million in 2015, representing an over three-fold increase compared to the previous five years. As of June 2016, Brunei ranked fourth among ASEAN investors and 18th among 114 countries and territories investing in Vietnam, operating 205 projects worth a total of US$2.18 billion. There also remain numerous potentials for boosting bilateral co-operation in other fields, including oil, education, training, culture, sports, labour, transport, agriculture and fisheries.
Singapore is located to the southernmost tip of continental Asia and peninsular Malaysia, it is home to an area of 692.7 square kilometres and a population of 5.47 million. After becoming independent in 1965, Singapore has developed from a nation almost without resources into a strongly developed country in the region and the wider world, particularly in the fields of economics, science, technology and human resource training and management. It is also an economic, financial, scientific and technological centre of the region playing an increasingly important position in Asia Pacific. Singapore reported US$395 billion in gross domestic production (GDP) an income per capital at approximately US$50,000 in 2015. The country has taken the lead in transforming into a knowledge economy, striving to become a hub in the global economy. In addition to a strongly developing economy, the “Asian Dragon” country has also succeeded in maintaining its unique national identities.
The Vietnam-Singapore friendly relations have become increasingly robust, while the strategic partnership framework established by the two countries in 2013 has also been growing practically and efficiently. The two sides still maintain the regular exchange of high-level and all-level delegations and have expanded co-operation via the Party and State channels. Singapore is always Vietnam’s leading trade and investment partner. Two-way trade has seen constant increases and strong leaps in recent years, from US$9.8 billion in 2014 to US$16.22 billion last year. Singapore currently ranks third among countries and territories investing in Vietnam with more than 1,640 valid projects worth nearly US$38 billion. The effective operations of Singapore’s projects in Vietnam demonstrate the co-operation between the two countries. Both sides also enjoy developments in bilateral relations in the other fields of national defence, security, education, training, law, finance, health, culture and tourism.
Vietnam, Brunei and Singapore coordinate smoothly and work well together at regional and international forums, particularly in ASEAN and the United Nations.
During his stay in Brunei and Singapore, President Tran Dai Quang will discuss with the hosts’ leaders on measures and orientations to enhance bilateral ties between Vietnam and either country, as well as about regional and international issues of mutual concern.
The State leader’s visit to Brunei and Singapore is of great significance, affirming Vietnam’s high respect and priority to strengthening the friendly relations and multifaceted co-operation with Brunei and the strategic partnership with Singapore to an intensive, extensive, effective and sustainable fashion, for the benefits of each nation’s people and contributing actively to the development of the ASEAN Community and to peace, stability, co-operation and development in Asia Pacific and around the world.
