Vietnam, Singapore step up criminal justice assistance
At a reception for Singaporean Attorney-General Lucien Wong in Hanoi on January 22, Binh spoke highly of the cooperation between the two agencies over the past time, especially in crime combat through criminal justice support.
The official expressed his hope that Vietnam would learn from Singapore’s judicial experience, covering procuracy, judgment and e-justice building, explaining that during the implementation of cooperation agreements of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the joining of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), there are many issues related to the judicial sector.
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| Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh (right) and Singaporean Attorney-General Lucien Wong (Photo: VNA) |
Highlighting the Vietnam-Singapore strategic partnership which was established in 2013, Binh said the bilateral friendship and comprehensive cooperation have seen progress in all channels and sectors, from politics to economy, security-national defence, health care, education, people-to-people exchange and justice.
The relationship has been consolidated through regular visits by leaders of the two countries as well as meetings at multilateral forums, he said, stressing that the Attorney-General’s visit has marked new legal and judicial cooperation between the two sides, contributing to elevating the bilateral ties to a new height.
Vietnam and Singapore have participated in judicial assistance within ASEAN and reaped achievements in coordination in criminal justice mandate, he said.
Singapore is Vietnam’s third largest foreign investor and biggest ASEAN investor with more than 1,800 projects. The Vietnam-Singapore Industrial Parks (VSIPs) have been seen as a symbol of the bilateral economic relations.
Binh said he believes that the strategic partnership between the two countries will step into a new development period and urged the Attorney-General to contribute to promoting the bilateral collaboration across fields, including the judicial sector.
In reply, Lucien Wong briefed his host on outcomes of his talks with Prosecutor General of the Supreme People’s Procuracy of Vietnam Le Minh Tri, saying the two sides reached a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on cooperation, creating a legal framework for stronger partnership in the time ahead.
Over the past time, the Office of Singapore’s Attorney-General has assisted the Vietnamese agency in personnel training, he said.
The Singaporean office will closely cooperate with the Supreme People’s Procuracy and other Vietnamese agencies to promptly address common cases based on local laws, he said.
