Giving a speech at the ceremony, Mr. Nguyen Thanh Rum – Chairman of HCMC VSFA said that the official state visit to Vietnam of Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in September 2013 had lifted the ties with Vietnam to strategic partnership, which was a milestone in the relations between two nations.
Singapore is the third biggest foreign direct investment partner in Vietnam including 1258 projects with the total registered capital of over 30 billion USD. Those projects have contributed to promoting the Vietnam’s socioeconomic growth. With the support from both governments, the trade and investment between two countries will continue to develop and foster the economic growth of both nations as well as in the region.
In addition, Singapore is also the destination for many Vietnamese students to study abroad. There are currently 3000 Vietnamese students studying in Singapore’s universities and colleges.
During the past 10 years, the HCMC VSFA has established 11 branches with diversified forms of activities. They have held many events such as delegation welcoming, cultural exchange, friendship activities, making a contribution to consolidating and promoting the friendship between peoples of two countries, as well as developing the people – to – people diplomacy tasks in HCMC.
Expressing her pleasure to attend the ceremony, Ms. Leow Siu Lin – Singapore Consul General, says that since her taking office in HCMC, she has been very happy because of the supports of HUFO and VSFA and the warm sentiment of HCMC people for Singapore.
The bilateral relations between two countries have been further developing in the fields of economic and political cooperation, national defense, law, education, health, culture,… The ties have got closer through the official visits between two nations. In 2013, the trade turnover reached 17.4 billion USD, increasing 4 times since 2000. In HCMC, Singapore is the top investors including 686 projects with the total capital of 6.56 billion USD. In addition, the exchange between peoples of Vietnam and Singapore has been developing with the number of tourists increasing 10% compared to last year.
On its 10th anniversary, the HCMC VSFA was rewarded the laudatory banner of HCMC People’s Committee for its considerable contribution to the people-to-people diplomacy of HCMC. Moreover, the HCMC People’s Committee also offered certificates of merit to 2 people of HCMC VSFA; and HUFO offered certificates of merit to 7 branches of HCMC VSFA.
TTĐN
