Several countries across the world are gearing up to reopen their economies and enter a new normal as the Covid-19 situation stabilises.

Besides planning for activities to resume within the country in three phases, Singapore is also coordinating with various countries such as New Zealand and China on reestablishing connectivity.

Phone call with Vietnam PM

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong also had a phone call with Vietnam Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc on May 29 afternoon to discuss bilateral and regional cooperation moving forward.

PM Lee congratulated his counterpart for the the "decisive handling" of the Covid-19 outbreak and thanked Vietnam for donating face masks and test kits to Singapore.

Phuc also expressed confidence in Singapore's ability to contain the outbreak.

He also thanked Singapore for its contribution to the Special ASEAN Summit and Special ASEAN Plus Three Summit on Covid-19 Response on April 14 via video conference, according to Vietnam Plus.

Enhancing Singapore's food security

Both countries agreed to strengthen cooperation, keep markets open and supply chain connected, PM Lee said in his Facebook post.

PM Lee also added that Singapore will be "deepening our collaboration" in agri-trade for supply of rice and other food products with Vietnam.

The two countries are in talks of bringing forward the signing of an agreement on rice trade, which will ensure a stable and long term import of rice to Singapore from Vietnam, Vietnam Plus reported.

Explore plans to resume travel between Vietnam and Singapore

The two leaders also agreed to discuss resuming air travel safely via a "green lane".

"We will also explore reopening borders for essential travel safely and gradually, when the time is right," PM Lee said in his Facebook post.

This will be a boost to businesses and tourism in both countries, as well as people-to-people exchange in the post-Covid-19 world.

Vietnam has reported 327 cases in total and no deaths since the start of the pandemic.

In the past three days, there have been no local transmission for 43 days and 279 patients have recovered.

Top photo via PM Lee's Facebook