Minister Do Duc  Duy, together with Ha Tinh's Provincial Party Secretary Hoang Trung Dung and Bac Ninh's Provincial Party Secretary Nguyen Anh Tuan, meets with Minister Tan See Leng, Singapore's Minister for Manpower and Second Minister for Trade and Industry

During the meeting, the two ministers discussed issues related to climate change, environmental protection, attracting foreign investments, and guiding new regulations on land access for foreign direct investment (FDI) enterprises in industries, urban development, and services. They also explored cooperation opportunities in sustainable development, maritime economy, offshore wind power development, enhancing high-quality human resource training, and future collaboration directions between the two ministries and local authorities.

Accompanying Minister Do Duc Duy were Ha Tinh’s Provincial Party Secretary Hoang Trung Dung, Bac Ninh’s Provincial Party Secretary Nguyen Anh Tuan, and technical staff from various departments.

The meeting highlighted the 50 years of diplomatic ties between Vietnam and Singapore and more than a decade of their strategic partnership.

Both ministers acknowledged the achievements of their bilateral cooperation, which have significantly advanced relations between the two nations.

Strengthening cooperation in climate change and offshore wind power development

Minister Tan See Leng expressed his satisfaction with the enhanced quality of cooperation between Vietnam and Singapore in natural resource management, environmental protection, and sustainable development. 

Minister Do Duc Duy, in turn, commended the Singapore Embassy in Vietnam for being an active partner in areas such as environmental protection, climate change mitigation, and sustainable maritime economy development.

The two ministers agree on multiple areas of cooperation to exchange experiences and enhance capabilities between Vietnam's Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and Singapore's Ministry of Manpower, Ministry of Trade and Industry, and other Singaporean partners

Regarding climate change, the ministers recalled the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on cooperation under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, signed during Singapore President’s state visit to Vietnam on October 17, 2022.

To implement the MoU, Vietnam’s Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MONRE) has worked closely with Singapore’s National Climate Change Secretariat and other related agencies to exchange information and experiences on carbon tax policies, carbon credit markets, and greenhouse gas mitigation activities. 

Singapore proposed several pilot projects for emissions reduction and the exchange of results to contribute to the nationally determined contributions (NDCs) of both countries. The two sides also agreed to draft an implementation agreement under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement.

Vietnam has established a working group to negotiate the pilot implementation agreement under Article 6. Minister Do Duc Duy emphasized that MONRE will continue to lead negotiations and develop a legally binding agreement in compliance with the Law on Treaties and the guidelines adopted at COP29.

Minister Tan See Leng shared Singapore’s goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050, with plans to import 4 GW of clean energy (potentially increasing to 6 GW) from the region by 2035. Both ministers expressed optimism about collaborating on offshore renewable energy projects in Vietnam, with the potential to export clean electricity to Singapore through undersea high-voltage cables by 2030.

Comprehensive collaboration to address global challenges

The ministers agreed on several areas of cooperation to strengthen ties between Vietnam’s MONRE and Singapore’s Ministry of Manpower, Ministry of Trade and Industry, and other partners.

In marine resource and environmental management, both sides will focus on monitoring, investigating, and assessing marine resources. They will exchange policies on maritime management through study tours, workshops, and international forums.

For environmental protection, the priorities include urban waste management, air quality management, and strengthening Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR).

On climate change, the ministers discussed advancing green economy policies, circular economy initiatives, and low-carbon economy models. Training programs for workers affected by the energy transition and high-quality human resource development were also key topics.

Minister Do Duc Duy expressed confidence in the strategic partnership between the two countries, particularly between MONRE and Singapore’s Ministry of Trade and Industry. He emphasized the importance of collaboration in addressing global challenges like climate change and sustainable economic development.

"We look forward to continuing our close partnership with Singapore’s Ministry of Trade and Industry, its partners, and the Singapore Embassy in Hanoi to implement joint activities that address national, regional, and global issues," Minister Do Duc Duy affirmed.

Ngoc Huyen (NRE Newspaper)