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SINGAPORE: Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong will arrive in Vietnam on Wednesday afternoon to commemorate the 40th anniversary of growing bilateral ties with the ASEAN member state.

In an interview with the Vietnam News Agency ahead of his visit and published in several Vietnamese dailies today, Mr Lee said economic ties between both countries are prospering while trade and investment flows are also growing.

Mr Lee said it is timely to take bilateral cooperation to the next level and he is happy that this would be elevated to a "Strategic Partnership" during the three day official visit.
The Strategic Partnership reflects the shared commitment to expand cooperation into new areas like finance, aviation and the environment.

Mr Lee has urged both sides to continue exploring new partnerships which would meet evolving needs.

Mr Lee added that he also looked forward to more regular exchanges at all levels - between the leaders, business community and the people which he believes would strengthen and deepen cooperation on the basis of mutual respect and trust.

On the first day of his visit to Hanoi, Mr Lee will hold talks with his Vietnamese counterpart, Nguyen Tan Dung and jointly launch the Strategic Partnership ties.

Another major highlight of the visit is the launch of the fifth Vietnam-Singapore Industrial Park by both Prime Ministers in Central Vietnam on September 13.

- CNA