Beijing (VNA) – Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc expressedwish to raise two-way trade with Singapore from the current level of nearly 8billion USD during a meeting with his Singaporean counterpart Lee Hsien Loongin Beijing on April 26.

The meeting took place on the occasion of their attendanceto the second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation (BRF).

Both sides expressed their delight that economic, trade andinvestment links are always a bright spot in bilateral relationship. Singaporeremains the third largest foreign investor in Vietnam while Vietnamese firmshave invested in Singapore with over 100 projects worth nearly 300 million USD.

Singaporean PM Lee spoke highly of Vietnam’s potential andstrengths, especially its young workforce capable of mastering moderntechnology.

Singapore will encourage firms to enhance investment ininfrastructure, smart urban development, hi-tech areas, seaports exploitationand management in Vietnam, Lee said.

They agreed to promote connectivity, especially in pillarfields of science-technology and innovation; launch projects such as theVietnam – Singapore Industrial Park in the central province of Quang Tri, softwarepark No.2 in the central city of Da Nang and the national innovation centre;and share experience in building e-government.

The two PMs discussed regional and global issues of sharedconcern, including joint work to build a strong ASEAN community, especiallywhen Vietnam undertakes the role of ASEAN Chair by 2020.

The leaders wished that parties concerned would step up theimplementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea(DOC), build an effective and legally binding Code of Conduct of Parties in theEast Sea (COC) in the near future.-VNA