Previously, immediately after the state-level welcoming ceremony was solemnly held according to the highest ritual for heads of state, General Secretary and President To Lam held talks with Singaporean President Tharman Shanmugaratnam. At noon on the same day, the President of Singapore and his wife hosted a state-level reception to welcome the General Secretary, President and his wife and the high-level Vietnamese delegation. Also on May 29, General Secretary and President To Lam held talks with Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong. The General Secretary and President attended the Vietnam - Singapore Technology Connection Forum with the theme "From Strategic Partnership to Industrial Platforms, Innovation and Sustainable Development of the New Generation".
Answering press interviews before the visit of General Secretary and President To Lam, Member of the Party Central Committee, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Manh Cuong emphasized that the invitation of General Secretary and President To Lam to deliver the keynote speech at the Shangri-La Dialogue - the most important speech of the forum - "shows the international community's respect and appreciation for Vietnam's increasing role, position and prestige and the role and prestige of General Secretary and President To Lam".
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Manh Cuong said that the speech of the General Secretary and President is expected to convey Vietnam's views and messages to countries on the direction to handle the strategic challenges being posed, for peace, stability and sustainable development in the regional structure that is taking shape.
Vietnamese Ambassador to Singapore Tran Phuoc Anh emphasized that the keynote speech at the Shangri-la Dialogue, an important annual defense and security forum in Asia, is a focus of General Secretary and President To Lam's visit to Singapore.
The Ambassador said that this shows the high concern and appreciation of the Dialogue Organizing Committee as well as the international community for Vietnam. The world also wants to listen to Vietnam's voice, views as well as Vietnam's approach to regional and world national defense and security issues.
This is also an opportunity for the highest leaders of the Party and State of Vietnam to convey messages about Vietnam's foreign policy, foreign policy on independence and self-reliance, diversification and multilateralization, being friends, reliable and responsible partners of the international community, as well as sharing Vietnam's vision and approach to regional issues that countries are very interested in, how to maintain peace, stability and cooperation in Southeast Asia, Asia - Pacific as well as other regions in the world" - Ambassador Tran Phuoc Anh said.
According to the Vietnamese Ambassador to Singapore, another important thing is that Vietnam, Singapore and other members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) have mechanisms, as well as the desire to maintain ASEAN's central position, ASEAN's solidarity in the current geopolitical context. "I think this is a very important forum and platform, very suitable for Vietnam to express its voice and views" - the Ambassador said.
