Singaporean media highlights President Phuc’s visit

Singapore – Vietnamese President Nguyen Xuan Phuc will make a state visit to Singapore this week at the invitation of President Halimah Yacob, Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said in a statement on February 22.

The trip, from February 24 to 26, is the first state visit Singapore will receive since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020, news website channelnewsasia.com quoted the statement as saying.

It said that the Vietnamese leader will meet with President Halimah, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong, Speaker of Parliament Tan Chuan-Jin and Singapore parliamentarians during his visit.

He will receive a ceremonial welcome at the Istana on February 25, followed by a call on Mdm Halimah, who will host a state banquet in his honour that evening.

Phuc and Lee will also jointly witness the signing of bilateral agreements that will further strengthen the multifaceted cooperation between Singapore and Vietnam, the MFA said.

President Phuc will also deliver the keynote address at the Singapore-Vietnam Business Dialogue, to be organised by the Singapore Business Federation and the Vietnamese embassy.

He will meet Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong and visit the Sembcorp Tengeh Floating Solar Farm the following day before departing Singapore, the ministry said.

"President Phuc's state visit reaffirms Singapore's excellent ties with Vietnam, as both countries prepare to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations and the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the Strategic Partnership in 2023," MFA said.