Singapore, Vietnam to launch green lane for business and official travel by next year

[SINGAPORE] Vietnam and Singapore are planning to launch a green lane for business and official travel by the start of next year.

Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) Chee Wee Kiong and Vietnam's Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Quoc Dung agreed to conclude ongoing discussions on the green lane arrangement and restore regular commercial return flights between the two countries, said MFA in a statement on Tuesday (Dec 15).

Singapore will be among the first few countries that Vietnam will resume regularised essential business and official travel.

Both parties agreed to enhance cooperation to fight the economic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic through resuming air connectivity and maintaining supply chain links.

They also co-chaired the 13th Singapore-Vietnam Bilateral Consultations via video conference on the same day, where both affirmed mutual support rendered during the Covid-19 pandemic, such as facilitating the return of nationals residing in both territories, and the mutual contribution of supplies and equipment.

They agreed that multilateral efforts to develop, manufacture and distribute vaccines were important for an effective international response to the pandemic.

Mr Chee and Mr Dung reviewed cooperation in areas such trade and investment, finance and transport, and discussed increasing collaboration in agriculture between the two countries.

They also agreed that there were opportunities expand cooperation in well emerging areas such as digital economy, legal and judicial cooperation as well as cyber security.

In emphasising the importance of strengthening Asean unity and deepening economic integration, Mr Chee congratulated Vietnam on its successful Asean chairmanship this year and "outstanding leadership" of Asean's response to the pandemic.

THE STRAITS TIMES