Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, his wife Le Thi Bich Tran and a high-ranking Vietnamese delegation are on an official visit to Singapore and Brunei Darussalam from February 8-11. Photo: Vu Khuyen/VOV

Eurasia Review, an independent journal owned by Buzz Future LLC, a public relations and consulting firm based in the US, said Chinh’s Singapore visit, which will be from Feb.8-10, comes at an important time in the history of both countries’ relations. Vietnam and Singapore are firmly committed to regional peace and stability as well as ASEAN centrality. The visit provides a great opportunity for both countries’ leaders to discuss measures to strengthen political trust, friendship, and cooperation in all fields in a more practical and effective manner.

Chinh will visit Brunei on Feb.11 to boost bilateral ties between the two countries, according to the OpEd. During his visit to Brunei, he will discuss ways to boost bilateral relations. He will also discuss with Brunei leaders the implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) and negotiations for an effective and substantive Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC) in accordance with international law and the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

Chinh, who has the motto “Solidarity, Discipline – Mettle, Flexibility – Innovation, Creativity – Timeliness, Effectiveness” for 2023, has been making important efforts by visiting two ASEAN member countries to take existing relations to new heights, said Eurasia Review OpEd.

Singapore’s The Business Times on Tuesday quoted Singapore’s Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan as saying Singapore and Vietnam strengthen cooperation in traditional areas like trade and investment, there are many opportunities to work closer together in new growth areas. These include the digital economy, renewable energy, carbon credits, green financing, cybersecurity and sustainable infrastructure.

Dr Balakrishnan described the two ASEAN member states as “long-standing friends and close partners”, with Chinh’s three-day visit to Singapore coinciding with the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations and the 10th anniversary of the Singapore-Vietnam Strategic Partnership.