Vietnam, Singapore issue joint statement on establishment of Comprehensive Strategic Partnership

Vietnam and Singapore on March 12 issued a joint statement on the establishment of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

The following is the full text of the joint statement:

JOINT STATEMENT ON ESTABLISHMENT OF THE COMPREHENSIVE STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN VIETNAM AND SINGAPORE

ON THE OCCASION OF THE OFFICIAL VISIT OF HIS EXCELLENCY MR. TO LAM, GENERAL SECRETARY OF THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE OF THE COMMUNIST PARTY OF VIETNAM, TO SINGAPORE

1. At the invitation of H.E. Mr. Lawrence Wong, Prime Minister of Singapore, Secretary-General of the People’s Action Party, H.E. Mr. To Lam, General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, and Spouse paid an official visit to Singapore from March 11 to 13, 2025.

2. The two leaders agreed that the Strategic Partnership and the Green-Digital Economic Partnership, established in 2013 and 2023 respectively, have brought more substance to bilateral relations. The two leaders decided to elevate Vietnam - Singapore relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

3. The two sides pledged to continue to strengthen mutually-beneficial cooperation and political trust, enhance coordination in addressing contemporary challenges on the basis of respect for international law, each other’s independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity, and political systems and non-interference in internal affairs, bringing about practical benefits for the two peoples as well as ASEAN’s unity, resilience, centrality and inclusivity, while striving for peace, stability, and development in the region and the world.

Party General Secretary To Lam (L) and Singaporean PM Lawrence Wong (R) witness the exchange of a MoU on digital transformation between the Vietnamese Ministry of Public Security and the Singaporean Ministry of Digital Development and Information on March 12. (Photo: VNA)

4. The two sides agreed to advance relations, with special focus on the following:

(i) Enhancing Cooperation for International Peace, Security, and Stability: To step up exchanges and engagement at the highest level and all other levels across all channels; to strengthen party-to-party relations to bolster mutual trust and enhance the political foundation underpinning bilateral ties and consider establishing a regular party-to-party dialogue mechanism; to maintain an effective annual meeting between the two Prime Ministers; to forge close defense and security cooperation in areas of mutual interest, including through the annual Vice-Ministerial Defense Policy Dialogue, Vice-Ministerial Annual Exchange on Public Security; army, naval and air force cooperation and exchanges; education and training; humanitarian aid and disaster relief cooperation; military medicine cooperation; to maintain mutual support on combating transnational crimes including anti-narcotics, anti-scams, cybercrimes, terrorism, money laundering including through the bilateral Treaty on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters signed in October 2024; to continue mutual support bilaterally and at regional and international forums on combatting scams including through the development of the ASEAN Guide on Anti-Scam Policies and Best Practices; to coordinate to ensure maritime safety and security.

(ii) Reinforcing Economic Cooperation and Fostering Collaboration in Mutually Beneficial Areas: through actively and effectively implementing the Framework Agreement on Singapore – Vietnam Connectivity upgraded in 2023, to support joint business projects such as the development of innovative and sustainable low-carbon Vietnam-Singapore Industrial Parks (VSIPs) in Vietnam; to strengthen cooperation in food safety and security, including food supply chain resilience; to facilitate cross-border QR code payments, support further collaboration in the capital market initiatives including stock market and depository receipt connectivity initiatives, and Intellectual Property cooperation between the two economies; to exchange experiences in financial sector development, including to support Vietnam in its efforts in building and operating an international financial centre; to strengthen air connectivity through the expansion of our bilateral Air Services Agreement; to strengthen health cooperation on global and regional health issues; to encourage infrastructure cooperation including urban solutions; to deepen legal and judicial cooperation; to support Vietnam’s maritime and port infrastructure developments, such as through digital and operational transformation.

(iii) Strengthening Energy and Green Cooperation through effectively utilizing the Green-Digital Economic Partnership concluded in 2023, and stepping up cooperation in energy connectivity and transmission, sustainability, infrastructure, digital and innovation for a common goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050; to enhance exchanges on smart and sustainable cities; to work together on the facilitation of regulatory approvals for cross-border electricity trading, starting with offshore wind electricity exports from Vietnam to Singapore; and development and transit of power transmission infrastructure as well as financing mechanisms as building blocks towards an ASEAN Power Grid; to collaborate on carbon credits aligned with Article 6 of the Paris Agreement.

(iv) Building Capacity and Connecting People: through strengthened cooperation in talent development, especially for strategic-level officials; to facilitate professional and student exchanges, including school partnerships and among Institutes of Higher Learning based on areas of mutual interest such as integrated circuit design, semiconductor technology, skills in Industry 4.0, technological innovation, medical research and nursing; to deepen Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) collaboration; to implement the Singapore-Vietnam Innovation Talent Exchange Programme; to strengthen cooperation in culture, arts and sports; to promote tourist flows and stronger people-to-people ties.

(v) Strengthening Cooperation in Digital Domains and Emerging Technologies: to strengthen cooperation on digital connectivity, cross-border data flows including the establishment of data sandboxes, and emerging technologies including Artificial Intelligence (AI), and cyber security; to strengthen cooperation on subsea cables in the region such as through the development of the Enhanced ASEAN Guidelines on Strengthening Resilience and Repairs of Submarine Cables; to promote consumer and business trust in the digital economy including fostering data-driven innovation and encouraging the responsible use and transmission of data through the adoption of regional guidelines and frameworks such as the ASEAN Model Contractual Clauses and the ASEAN Guide on AI Governance and Ethics.

(vi) Strengthening Cooperation in International and Regional Fora: Actively coordinate and support one another in multilateral forums on issues of common interests and concern, especially in ASEAN and ASEAN-led mechanisms, the United Nations, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum, inter-parliamentary forums; promote ASEAN’s unity, centrality and efforts in further advancing the ASEAN Community building process, including the realization of the ASEAN Community Vision 2045 and its Strategic Plans; strengthen ASEAN centrality in the evolving regional architecture; promote synergies, complementarities, and alignment between sub-regional cooperation frameworks, including in the Mekong sub-region, and the ASEAN Community building process, as such contributing to narrowing the development gap, and the comprehensive development of ASEAN.

5. To implement the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, the two leaders assigned the two Foreign Ministries to coordinate with relevant Ministries and agencies to develop a Plan of Action covering all the cooperation areas between the two countries.

Party General Secretary To Lam (L) and Singaporean PM Lawrence Wong. (Photo: VNA)

6. The leaders discussed developments in the South China Sea. The leaders reiterated ASEAN’s consistent position on the South China Sea, and reaffirmed the importance of maintaining peace, security, stability, safety, and freedom of navigation in and over-flight above the South China Sea, and peaceful resolution of disputes, including full respect for legal and diplomatic processes, without resorting to threat or use of force, in accordance with international law, particularly the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

7. Both sides further reaffirmed the need to enhance mutual trust and confidence, called on all parties concerned to manage their disputes in accordance with international law, particularly the 1982 UNCLOS, exercise self-restraint in the conduct of activities that would complicate or escalate disputes and affect peace and stability and avoid actions that may further complicate the situation; called for the full and effective implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) in its entirety; and emphasized the need to maintain and promote an environment conducive to the negotiations of an effective and substantive Code of Conduct in the South China Sea (COC) in accordance with international law, particularly the 1982 UNCLOS. Both sides reaffirmed that the 1982 UNCLOS sets out the legal framework within which all activities in the oceans and seas must be carried out and is of strategic importance as the basis for national, regional, and global action and cooperation in the marine sector, and that its integrity needs to be maintained.

8. H.E. Mr. To Lam expressed his gratitude to the Government and the people of Singapore for their warm hospitality. H.E. Mr. Lawrence Wong also accepted the invitation of H.E. Mr. To Lam to visit Vietnam at a mutually convenient time.