06 Apr 2016
Your Excellency Mr Bui Thanh Son,
Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs
Colleagues from MOFA and the Singapore Embassy
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I am deeply honoured to receive the “Friendship Order” from the President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. I accept the Friendship Medal with gratitude, and I share it with all my colleagues in the Singapore Embassy in Hanoi who have worked hard to promote strong relations between our two countries.
I am happy that relations between Singapore and Vietnam have strengthened in all areas during my term in Vietnam. Our relations with the Communist Party of Vietnam and the Government of Vietnam have deepened following the upgrading of bilateral relations to Strategic Partnership in 2013. Our economic ties have also grown and expanded. Singapore is currently the third largest foreign investor in Vietnam with over US$36 billion invested in 1540 projects in various sectors ranging from real estate, industrial parks, manufacturing, logistics and services. Our people-to-people ties have also expanded. More Singaporeans are visiting Vietnam for work and vacation, and vice-versa. I am confident that Singapore-Vietnam relations will continue to improve and flourish in the coming years.
As I return to Singapore to take on a new appointment in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, I will continue to play a positive and constructive role in strengthening relations between our two countries. I will bring back many fond memories of my time in Vietnam and my friendship with many Vietnamese colleagues who have provided valuable assistance and support to the Embassy and to me personally. It has been a pleasure working with them and I wish them every success in their efforts to create a better future for Vietnam and the Vietnamese people. Thank you.
