At the invitation of the Central Executive Committee of Singapore’s People’s Action Party, Tran Cam Tu, Politburo Member and Permanent Member of the Party Central Committee’s Secretariat, will pay an official visit to Singapore and co-chair the first Viet Nam - Singapore Strategic Dialogue from August 24 to 25.

The visit comes as Viet Nam - Singapore relations continue to develop strongly, particularly following the elevation of bilateral ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2025. The move marked a strategically significant step forward, reflecting growing political trust, increasingly closely aligned interests and a shared development vision between the two countries in a changing regional and global environment.

A longstanding friendship

Viet Nam and Singapore officially established diplomatic relations in August 1973. Over more than half a century, bilateral ties have continued to be consolidated and expanded, becoming one of the most dynamic, substantive and effective relationships within ASEAN.

Looking back at the history of bilateral relations, Singapore was among the first Southeast Asian countries to establish diplomatic ties with Viet Nam after the signing of the Paris Peace Accords in 1973. Building on this foundation, bilateral cooperation has gradually expanded through a range of important mechanisms.

In 2004, the two countries signed the “Joint Declaration on the Framework for Comprehensive Cooperation in the 21st Century”, laying the groundwork for broader cooperation across multiple fields. In 2013, during then-Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s visit to Viet Nam, the two sides officially established a Strategic Partnership, ushering in a new phase of deeper and more extensive cooperation.

Political and diplomatic ties between the two countries have grown increasingly close through regular high-level visits and exchanges, dialogue mechanisms, cooperation frameworks and people-to-people exchanges.

This momentum has accelerated in recent years, with a series of high-level engagements. On March 25 - 26, 2025, Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong paid an official visit to Viet Nam, just over a week after then-General Secretary and President To Lam’s visit to Singapore. The two sides signed a number of documents to implement the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership framework, covering cooperation in areas including wind power, cross-border QR payments, innovation and people-to-people exchanges.

On May 8, 2026, on the sidelines of the 48th ASEAN Summit, Prime Minister Le Minh Hung held talks with Prime Minister Lawrence Wong. The two sides agreed to effectively implement the Action Programme for the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership for 2025 - 2030, while strengthening coordination at multilateral forums.

Subsequently, from May 29 to 31, 2026, at the invitation of Singaporean President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and his wife, General Secretary and President To Lam and his wife, together with a high-level Vietnamese delegation, paid a State visit to Singapore. During the visit, General Secretary and President To Lam delivered the keynote address at the 23rd Shangri-La Dialogue on May 29, marking the first time a Vietnamese Party and State leader had been invited to take on this role at one of Asia’s leading defence and security forums.

Strong momentum in economic cooperation

Over more than half a century, economic, trade and investment cooperation has remained one of the prominent pillars of Viet Nam - Singapore relations.

Speaking to a reporter from Industry and Trade Magazine, Cao Xuan Thang, Trade Counsellor at the Viet Nam Trade Office in Singapore, said economic and trade ties between Viet Nam and Singapore had made strong progress over more than five decades, becoming one of the successful models of cooperation in Southeast Asia.

According to him, since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1973, the two countries have continuously expanded cooperation across areas including trade, investment, finance, logistics, technology and sustainable development. Bilateral relations have become increasingly substantive, with the complementary strengths of the two economies being harnessed more effectively.

In trade, bilateral turnover has maintained a positive growth trajectory. According to data from Singapore’s Enterprise Development Authority (ESG), in the first seven months of 2026, Viet Nam remained Singapore’s 10th-largest trading partner, with two-way trade reaching nearly SGD 33 billion, up 43.1% year on year. Singapore’s exports to Viet Nam reached SGD 17.8 billion, up 9.0%, while imports from Viet Nam surged 126.8% to SGD 15.1 billion. The figures highlight the significant role of transshipment and re-export activities in bilateral trade.

Notably, the two economies are highly complementary. Singapore is a leading regional financial, logistics and innovation hub, while Viet Nam is a dynamic, fast-growing market with a young workforce and an increasingly prominent role in global supply chains.

Singapore is currently the largest ASEAN investor in Viet Nam, with more than 4,463 projects and total registered capital exceeding USD 91.6 billion. In 2024 alone, Singapore ranked as the largest foreign investor in Viet Nam, with capital inflows exceeding USD 10 billion.

As the two countries enter a new phase of development, they are seeking to deepen strategic cooperation, with a focus on the digital economy, green economy, renewable energy, innovation and high-tech supply chains. The Viet Nam - Singapore Industrial Park (VSIP) model is widely regarded as a flagship symbol of bilateral cooperation.

Following the elevation of bilateral ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2025, the two sides have promoted a range of initiatives, including low-emission VSIPs, the Viet Nam - Singapore Innovation Centre (VSIC), and cooperation in AI, fintech, big data, e-commerce and the clean energy transition.

Expanding new areas of cooperation

According to Cao Xuan Thang, the digital economy, innovation and green transition offer considerable room for the two countries to further expand cooperation. In particular, the two sides could develop a new generation of VSIPs featuring smart infrastructure and low emissions, integrated with data centres, green logistics and renewable energy.

High-tech sectors such as AI, fintech, semiconductors, cybersecurity, e-commerce and cross-border payments are also expected to become new growth drivers for bilateral cooperation.

Singapore has strengths in capital, technology, governance and international financial networks, while Viet Nam offers advantages in market scale, manufacturing capacity and rapid economic growth. The complementary strengths of the two economies continue to create new space for cooperation in high technology, logistics, clean energy and green manufacturing.

As a bridge connecting the business communities of the two countries, the Viet Nam Trade Office in Singapore focuses on updating businesses on policies and market information, providing early warnings on technical regulations, and supporting Vietnamese enterprises in accessing Singapore’s distribution networks and e-commerce platforms.

The Trade Office has stepped up trade promotion through business-matching programmes, Vietnamese Goods Weeks, conferences and seminars, while supporting businesses in participating in international trade fairs and exhibitions. It also organises business delegations from Singapore to Viet Nam to explore sourcing opportunities and expand cooperation.

Cao Xuan Thang encouraged Vietnamese businesses to capitalise on Singapore’s strengths in innovation, finance and logistics, while strengthening connections with business associations, distribution partners and investors to expand market access and build long-term partnerships.

More than half a century after establishing diplomatic relations, Viet Nam and Singapore are looking towards a new development vision within ASEAN, with the expectation of further consolidating their political foundation, expanding the space for cooperation and creating new momentum for the Viet Nam - Singapore Comprehensive Strategic Partnership to develop in a substantive and effective manner in the new phase.