Regional academics have described how the strategic vision of lateSingaporean Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew nurtured the relationshipbetween Singapore and Vietnam, who are now special partners within theAssociation of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
Associate Professor Alan Chong from the S.Rajaratnam School ofInternational Studies (RSIS) is an expert in Singapore’s externalaffairs policies. He has explained to Vietnam News Agency correspondentshow the country first looked for a special relationship with Vietnamafter the Cold War had ended.
Lee Kuan Yew, whowas already seeing Singapore developing rapidly, was invited toadvise the Vietnamese government in designing a development master planfor the country, Chong said. This plan triggered the quick developmentin relations between the two nations; a process which is continuingtoday, as there is still room for cooperation growth in the fields oftourism, education, agriculture and biotechnology.
Associate Professor Chong expressed his belief in the bright prospectsfor the two countries, confirming that Singapore always considersVietnam as a reliable partner in ASEAN.
AssociateProfessor Vu Minh Khuong from the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policysaid that the late Prime Minister was impressed by Vietnam ’s effortsto safeguard its sovereignty. He also saw potential in Vietnam’shuman resources and believed that such a promising nation would sooneror later become powerful.
He pointed to formation ofthe Vietnam-Singapore Industrial Park (VSIP) in the southern provinceof Binh Duong in 1995 as one of the most successful cooperationoutcomes between the two countries.
The project,which is equipped with modern and environmentally friendlyinfrastructure, received a lot of attention from the late PM, whovisited the province many times and acknowledged its significantdevelopment.
In 2013, Vietnam and Singaporeagreed to elevate their relations to strategic partnership on theoccasion of PM Lee Hsien Loong’s visit to Vietnam. Since then,bilateral relations have developed vigorously across many sectors,according to Vietnamese Ambassador to Singapore Nguyen Tien Minh.
On the political front, the two countries have enhanced dialogue andshared their mutual interest in maintaining peace, security, stabilityand development in the region and the East Sea.
Regarding economics, two-way trade saw an annual rise of 20 percent in2014. Singapore is the 6th largest trade partner and third largestinvestor in Vietnam, with the total investment capital worth 32.7billion USD.
The two sides have also seen progressin social-cultural affairs and people-to-people exchanges, with tens ofthousands of Vietnamese students pursuing higher education in the islandcountry.
Lee Kuan Yew passed away early on March 23at the age of 91. He was the founding leader of Singapore, who hasbeen widely credited with transforming the city-state into one of themost affluent economies in Asia within three decades.
Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung, on behalf of the Vietnamese Party, State and Government, attended his funeral on March 29.-VNA
Associate Professor Alan Chong from the S.Rajaratnam School ofInternational Studies (RSIS) is an expert in Singapore’s externalaffairs policies. He has explained to Vietnam News Agency correspondentshow the country first looked for a special relationship with Vietnamafter the Cold War had ended.
Lee Kuan Yew, whowas already seeing Singapore developing rapidly, was invited toadvise the Vietnamese government in designing a development master planfor the country, Chong said. This plan triggered the quick developmentin relations between the two nations; a process which is continuingtoday, as there is still room for cooperation growth in the fields oftourism, education, agriculture and biotechnology.
Associate Professor Chong expressed his belief in the bright prospectsfor the two countries, confirming that Singapore always considersVietnam as a reliable partner in ASEAN.
AssociateProfessor Vu Minh Khuong from the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policysaid that the late Prime Minister was impressed by Vietnam ’s effortsto safeguard its sovereignty. He also saw potential in Vietnam’shuman resources and believed that such a promising nation would sooneror later become powerful.
He pointed to formation ofthe Vietnam-Singapore Industrial Park (VSIP) in the southern provinceof Binh Duong in 1995 as one of the most successful cooperationoutcomes between the two countries.
The project,which is equipped with modern and environmentally friendlyinfrastructure, received a lot of attention from the late PM, whovisited the province many times and acknowledged its significantdevelopment.
In 2013, Vietnam and Singaporeagreed to elevate their relations to strategic partnership on theoccasion of PM Lee Hsien Loong’s visit to Vietnam. Since then,bilateral relations have developed vigorously across many sectors,according to Vietnamese Ambassador to Singapore Nguyen Tien Minh.
On the political front, the two countries have enhanced dialogue andshared their mutual interest in maintaining peace, security, stabilityand development in the region and the East Sea.
Regarding economics, two-way trade saw an annual rise of 20 percent in2014. Singapore is the 6th largest trade partner and third largestinvestor in Vietnam, with the total investment capital worth 32.7billion USD.
The two sides have also seen progressin social-cultural affairs and people-to-people exchanges, with tens ofthousands of Vietnamese students pursuing higher education in the islandcountry.
Lee Kuan Yew passed away early on March 23at the age of 91. He was the founding leader of Singapore, who hasbeen widely credited with transforming the city-state into one of themost affluent economies in Asia within three decades.
Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung, on behalf of the Vietnamese Party, State and Government, attended his funeral on March 29.-VNA
