Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and his spouse left Hanoi on April 25 for an official visit to Singapore and participation in the 32nd ASEAN Summit.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and his spouse

The leader is accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh and Minister-Chairman of the Government Office Mai Tien Dung, together with the Ministers of Planning and Investment, Industry and Trade, Natural Resources and Environment, and Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, and the Governor of State Bank of Vietnam.

This is the first official visit to Singapore by Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc as the Government leader of Vietnam. It takes place when the two countries are celebrating the 45th anniversary of their diplomatic ties (August 1, 1973-2018) and five years of the Strategic Partnership (September 2013-2018).

The April 25-27 visit reiterates the Vietnamese government’s policy of valuing the strategic partnership with Singapore and strengthening trust in bilateral ties. The two sides will discuss new orientations and approaches with a view to making breakthroughs in their relationship as well as enhancing coordination in regional and global issues of shared concern.

Following the official visit to Singapore, PM Phuc will attend the 32nd Summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) from April 27-28. This will be the first ASEAN Summit in 2018 as Singapore takes over the bloc’s rotating chairmanship.

Under the theme of “Resilient and Innovative ASEAN”, regional leaders are scheduled to deliberate directions and measures to step up cooperation, enhance connectivity to boost the ASEAN’s self-resilience and its ability to respond to challenges and promote innovation-based development on the ground of seizing new opportunities brought in by the fourth industrial revolution, thereby helping to build a united, strong and sustainable developing ASEAN Community.

The PM’s attendance reflects Vietnam’s support for Singapore in the role as ASEAN Chair in 2018, as well as the country’s efforts to boost solidarity and unity in ASEAN and maintain the bloc’s central role in the region./.

VNF/VNA