Viet Nam, Singapore hold first strategic dialogue

The event was co-chaired by Politburo member, Standing member of the Communist Party of Viet Nam (CPV) Central Committee's Secretariat Tran Cam Tu and Assistant Secretary-General for the People's Action Party (PAP), Coordinating Minister for Public Services and Minister for Defense Chan Chun Sing.

Tran said, the first session held shortly after its establishment of the mechanism reflects the special importance that both sides attached to it and the strong political determination of both Parties to promptly put the new cooperation mechanism into substantive operation, thereby contributing to the Viet Nam–Singapore Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

He described the decision to focus the Dialogue on human resource development and technological connectivity as "the right choice and the right focus," as these are areas of strategic significance to the competitiveness, resilience, and long-term development of each country.

He urged the two Parties to strengthen frank and substantive exchanges, share their development visions and experiences, continue to accompany and support each other, enhance their capacity, and jointly seek new drivers of development.

Tran suggested the two sides maintain regular all-level contacts and exchanges; strengthen the sharing of experience in building a modern public administration, effective national governance, policy formulation and implementation, identifying, training, and utilizing talent, and developing a pipeline of future leaders with strategic vision.

The two sides should promote exchanges among promising young leaders, expand cooperation among mass organizations, youth organizations, and localities, thereby further deepening the social foundations of relations between the two countries, he noted.

Tran, for his part, emphasized that the two sides had engaged in frank exchanges on approaches and experiences in governance, human resource development, science and technology, and innovation, while also discussing ways to connect the strengths of the two countries in order to meet development requirements in the new period.

Within the framework of the Dialogue, the presentations by both sides focused on two issues of strategic importance to the development of the two countries:  (i) cadre training, human development and capacity enhancement; (ii) connectivity in science and technology and innovation.

The two sides vowed to make cooperation in human resource development and cadre training one of the important pillars of cooperation between the two Parties./.