The August 21 event brought together around 500 distinguished guests, including Singaporean officials, members of the diplomatic corps, scholars, business leaders, and representatives of the Vietnamese community in Singapore.
In his opening remarks, Vietnamese Ambassador to Singapore Tran Phuoc Anh highlighted Viet Nam’s remarkable achievements in national building and development since President Ho Chi Minh read the Declaration of Independence on September 2, 1945, affirming universal values of freedom, dignity, and self-determination.
He stressed Viet Nam’s two major goals of becoming a developing country with modern industry and upper-middle income by 2030, and a high-income developed nation by 2045. The diplomat underscored the importance of partnerships in this journey, emphasising that one of Viet Nam’s most enduring and dynamic partnerships is with Singapore.
With expanding cooperation in areas ranging from economy, trade, and defence to digital transformation, green growth, and human resource development, and with the close ties between the two countries’ leaders, he expressed confidence that Viet Nam and Singapore will move forward together toward a shared future of peace, innovation, and prosperity.
Speaking at the event, Singapore’s Coordinating Minister for Public Service and Minister for Defence Chan Chun Sing praised Viet Nam’s resilient and dynamic transformation. He said that during his visit to Viet Nam last month, he witnessed the dynamism of the Vietnamese economy and the determination of its people, and believed that with Party General Secretary To Lam's vision of an era of the nation's rise, Viet Nam will achieve its set goals.
Minister Chan emphasised that with the longstanding friendship between the leaders of both nations and robust Viet Nam–Singapore cooperation, particularly in the fields of economy, green transition, energy security, science and technology, innovation, defence, non-traditional security, and people-to-people exchanges, the partnership will not only benefit the two countries but also strengthen the centrality of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). This, he noted, would help shape an inclusive, rules-based regional architecture that promotes stability and prosperity for all.
The ceremony also featured a photo exhibition highlighting milestones in Viet Nam’s 80 years of development and achievements in Viet Nam–Singapore cooperation. A special August/September edition of IN Diplomacy magazine provided additional insights for those seeking to learn more about Viet Nam and explore business opportunities. Guests enjoyed an elegant ao dai (Vietnamese traditional long dress) show by both professional and amateur models, as well as captivating performances by Vietnamese singers, which left a strong impression on the audience. Vietnamese cuisine added to the cultural experience, delighting many guests with its flavours and diversity.
The 80th National Day celebration marked the beginning of a series of events to be held in Singapore, such as a cultural programme for the Vietnamese community, a networking golf tournament, and the screening of "Mot dieu uoc" (One Wish) by director Ly Hai, all promising rich and memorable experiences for participants.
