Follow us on Telegram for the latest updates: https://t.me/mothershipsg

Singapore has donated 200,000 antigen rapid test (ART) kits, 500,000 nasopharyngeal swabs, and 100,000 tubes of phosphate buffered saline to Vietnam.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), a symbolic handover ceremony was conducted by MFA Permanent Secretary Chee Wee Kiong and Vietnam's Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Quoc Dung during the 14th Singapore-Vietnam Bilateral Consultations (SVBC) on Tuesday, Nov. 9.

The bilateral consultations were held via video conferencing, and was co-chaired by Chee and Dung.

These donations are part of the mutual contributions of medical supplies and equipment between Singapore and Vietnam since the beginning of the pandemic, MFA said in a statement.

Welcomed formation of joint working group on Covid-19

Chee and Dung welcomed the formation of the joint working group on Covid-19 earlier this year and tasked officials to conclude discussions on the mutual recognition of vaccine certificates, MFA said.

This is to facilitate regularised essential business and official travel, and allow for the resumption of regular commercial return flights between both countries.

Strong practical cooperation

Both sides also commended the strong practical cooperation to address the Covid-19 pandemic, including maintaining supply chain connectivity, vaccinating nationals residing in each other’s countries, facilitating the return of Singaporeans, and sharing best practices.

Noting the regular high-level engagements over the past year, Chee and Dung welcomed the excellent progress made in strengthening the strategic partnerships between Singapore and Vietnam.

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong met his Vietnamese counterpart, Pham Minh Chinh, in April, while Minister for Foreign Affairs Vivian Balakrishnan made an official visit to Vietnam in June.

Productive discussions on expanding cooperation

Singapore and Vietnam also reviewed their multi-faceted and substantive cooperations in areas such as trade, and investment, defence, education, finance, transport, food and agriculture, technical assistance and enhancing people-to-people ties, according to MFA.

There were productive discussions on expanding the cooperation between both countries in important new areas of mutual interest such as energy, sustainable infrastructure, cyber security, innovation, and the digital economy, MFA added.

Both sides also exchanged views on key regional and international developments, and emphasised the importance of strengthening Asean's unity and Centrality, deepening economic integration, and upholding rules-based multilateralism to promote peace and stability in the region.

Follow and listen to our podcast here

Top image via Ministry of Foreign Affairs