Vietnam and Singapore exchanged measures to strengthen bilateral cooperation at their annual political consultation in Hanoi on March 22.

The meeting was co-chaired by Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Pham Quang Vinh, and Permanent Secretary of the Singaporean Ministry of Foreign Affairs Bilahari Kausikan.

They noted with satisfaction the positive development of the friendship and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Singapore.

This year Vietnam and Singapore will organise a number of activities to celebrate 40 years of diplomatic ties (August 1), including the exchange of high-level visits by their top leaders, aiming to increase cooperation in politics, economics, trade, investment and culture.

They plan to upgrade bilateral relationship to a level of the strategic partnership in the near future.

Both sides acknowledged the effective cooperation between the two countries’ Foreign Ministries, and agreed to maintain the annual political consultation to promote mutual trust and understanding.

They agreed to work closely together at regional and international forums, especially within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to fulfil the goal of building a single, close-knit ASEAN community by 2015.

They voiced their support for strengthening solidarity in ASEAN and increasing the grouping’s role in settling issues relating to peace and security in the region, as well as encouraging its dialogue partners’ involvement in regional cooperation mechanisms.

They stressed the importance of peace, stability, and maritime security in the East Sea, the implementation of the six-point principle on the East Sea, the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in East Sea (DOC) towards the Code of Conduct (COC).  

On March 21, Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh received Singaporean diplomat Bilahari Kausikan.

VOV