Singapore PM visits Vietnam

Singapore PM visits Vietnam

VIETNAM: Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong is making his first official visit to Vietnam since taking office in August.

Lee was expected to meet with his Vietnamese counterpart Prime Minister Phan Van Khai, President Tran Duc Luong and Communist Party chief Nong Duc Manh during his two-day visit opening on Monday.

He was traveling with Foreign Minister George Yeo and Minister of Commerce and Industry Lim Hng Kiang. Lee attended the Asia- Europe summit in Hanoi in October, but this marks the first time he has called on Vietnamese leaders since taking office in August.

As Vietnam moves toward a market economy, it is looking to Singapore for expertise and capital in banking and finance, aviation, services, tourism, education, telecommunications and technology, the Vietnam News reported.

Singapore, in turn, needs natural resources and labor from Vietnam, it said.

Singapore is Vietnam's biggest export market in Southeast Asia with two-way trade totaling US$3.6 billion in the first half of 2004. --AP