SINGAPORE: President Halimah Yacob will make a state visit to Vietnam from Oct 16 to Oct 20 at the invitation of President Nguyen Xuan Phuc.
President Halimah’s visit reciprocates Mr Phuc’s state visit to Singapore in February 2022, said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) in a press statement on Saturday (Oct 15).
Mr Phuc’s visit was the first state visit Singapore received since the start of the pandemic in 2020.
MFA said that President Halimah’s upcoming visit “reaffirms Singapore and Vietnam’s warm and longstanding relations”, adding that it is “underpinned by mutual commitment to further step up bilateral cooperation”.
President Halimah will visit Hanoi, Bac Ninh province, and Ho Chi Minh City.
In Hanoi, President Halimah will call on Mr Phuc, who will host a state banquet for her. She will also meet Vietnam Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, Hanoi Party Committee secretary Dinh Tien Dung and other officials while in the city.
In Bac Ninh province, President Halimah will visit the Vietnam-Singapore Industrial Park (VSIP).
“The 11 VSIPs across Vietnam today are a major component of our economic engagement, and have attracted US$17 billion in investments and created more than 300,000 jobs,” said MFA.
In Ho Chi Minh City, President Halimah will meet Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee Secretary Nguyen Van Nen, who will host a dinner for her.
President Halimah will deliver opening remarks at the Singapore-Vietnam Business Roundtable organised by the Singapore Business Federation, said MFA.
She will also meet businesses based in Vietnam to hear their perspectives on the country’s economic development and Singapore’s economic interest in Vietnam.
President Halimah will then attend a reception hosted for overseas Singaporeans based in Vietnam.
President Halimah will be accompanied by her husband, Mr Mohamed Abdullah Alhabshee, Minister for Manpower and Second Minister for Trade and Industry Dr Tan See Leng and Senior Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and National Development Sim Ann.
The delegation will also include Members of Parliament Liang Eng Hwa, Cheryl Chan and Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim, officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Trade and Industry, Enterprise Singapore and the Institute of Technical Education.
“During President Halimah’s absence, Mr Eddie Teo, Chairman of the Council of Presidential Advisers, will exercise the function of the Office of the President,” said MFA.