Deputy PM Ninh discusses partnership with Singapore   Deputy PM Vu Van Ninh meets Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong at Istana Palace in Singapore yesterday. - VNA/VNS Photo Nguyen Kim Yen SINGAPORE (VNS) - Singapore, as a strategic partner, would always give top priority to co-operating with Viet Nam, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong affirmed, while receiving Deputy Prime Minister Vu Van Ninh yesterday. During the meeting, the two sides expressed their pleasure at the strong development of the Viet Nam-Singapore relationship with many exchanges of delegations in recent years, bringing practical benefits to the both countries. They agreed that the official establishment of the bilateral Strategic Partnership during the Singaporean PM's visit to Viet Nam in September was a historic landmark, opening opportunities for both sides to continue expanding and deepening the co-operative ties in all fields from politics, economics, trade, investment, culture to education and training, and people-to-people exchanges. The two leaders agreed to co-operate closely to successfully realize the Strategic Partnership ties. Both said they were glad to see the Viet Nam-Singapore Connectivity Framework Agreement was effectively being implemented and the Viet Nam-Singapore Industrial Parks (VSIP) in the three regions of Viet Nam were operating well. They reached a consensus on selecting suitable locations to multiply the model of the VSIP. Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong stressed that Singapore would join hands with Viet Nam to lure Singaporean investors to Phu Quoc Island, asking Viet Nam to create favourable conditions, provide information of policies, procedures and land planning during the process of Phu Quoc development. Ninh said Viet Nam was boosting the reform process, especially in fields of finance, credit, banking and the State-owned sector to improve the economy's competitiveness and satisfy requirements of international integration and development. Singapore's leader also noted that the finance sector was a field with plenty of scope for co-operation, expressing his wish that Viet Nam would facilitate the expansion of Singapore's financial institutes in Viet Nam. Discussing regional and international co-operation, Ninh said he appreciated Singapore's positive stand on issues related to peace and stability in the region, including the East Sea issue. Loong affirmed that Singapore would continue co-operating and supporting Viet Nam in the negotiations for the Trans-Pacific Partnership to ensure it was a satisfactorily equally weighted agreement, bringing benefits to all members, particularly developing countries. The same day, Ninh had a meeting with S. Iswaran, Singapore's Second Minister for Home Affairs and the Second Minister for Trade and Industry. The two sides discussed specific measures to bolster the investment and trade ties in the context of the newly formed Strategic Partnership relationship. Iswaran affirmed that the country would paid attention to joining with Viet Nam in education and training, and would satisfy Viet Nam's specific needs in training management officials and technical workers. Ninh's four-day visit, which wraps up today, was made at the invitation of Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Law, K. Shanmugam, under the S. R. Nathan Fellowship. - VNS