Speech by Ambassador Ng Teck Hean at the reception to celebrate the 50th National Day of the Republic of Singapore (Melia Hotel, 14 August 2015)

H.E. Phạm Bình Minh

Your Excellencies,

Fellow Singaporeans and Dear Friends,

             Thank you for joining us this evening to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Singapore's Independence, or what we call in Singapore, SG50.

2            Singapore's National Day is always an occasion close to the hearts of many Singaporeans. SG50 is all the more special because we are commemorating 50 years of nationhood.  Singapore's road to independence and journey towards nation building have not been easy, but our forefathers have worked against all odds to transform a small country with limited natural resources into a successful city state today.

3             But SG50 is not just a celebration. It is an important time for Singaporeans to reflect on our past and chart the course we want for our future. Singapore remains mindful that the road ahead will still be a challenging one.  For one, our small size poses a constraint we consistently need to confront. Singapore is not a cruise ship in the vast ocean of international politics. Instead, we are and will always be a small boat or sampan - perhaps an upgraded one - constantly having to adjust to an ever-changing global environment. To extend this metaphor, a key harbour for Singapore is ASEAN.  Building a cohesive, strong and autonomous ASEAN in order to maintain a peaceful and prosperous Southeast Asia has always been one of the cornerstones of Singapore's foreign policy. This year marks a milestone in ASEAN cooperation through the formation of the ASEAN Community.  We hope to continue working with our friends in ASEAN to strengthen ASEAN beyond 2015.

4             Within ASEAN, Vietnam is a longstanding partner and friend for Singapore.  To further cement this friendship, our two countries elevated our bilateral relations to a Strategic Partnership in 2013. Our leaders visit each other regularly.  This year, our Speaker of Parliament Mdm Halimah Yacob made an official visit to Vietnam in April.  Just a few days ago, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung was in Singapore to attend our National Day Parade to celebrate SG50.

5             Our economic ties are also excellent.  Bilateral trade between Singapore and Vietnam has reached US$15 billion, making Singapore Vietnam's sixth largest trading partner.  Singapore is also Vietnam's 3rd largest investor, with a cumulative investment of US$33 billion invested in over 1,350 projects.  In particular, the Vietnam-Singapore Industrial Parks and OneHub Saigon Business Park have been iconic flagship projects endorsed by both governments.  This year also marks the tenth anniversary of the Singapore-Vietnam Connectivity Framework Agreement.

6             Government-to-government and economic ties are only one part of the Vietnam-Singapore story. People-to-people ties are just as important in strengthening our bonds of friendship. More than 420,000 Vietnamese visited Singapore in 2014 alone, which was a 14% increase from the year before.  More than 200,000 Singaporeans visited Vietnam, of which many are return visitors who have been attracted by the many beautiful landscapes in Vietnam and the friendliness of its people.  I am happy that Singapore has also played a small part in contributing to human resource development in Vietnam.  Since 1992, more than 14,000 Vietnamese officials have participated in our training courses under the Singapore Cooperation Programme in areas such as public administration, healthcare and trade facilitation, either in Singapore or at the Vietnam-Singapore Training Centre in Hanoi.  The Singapore Government has also given out scholarships to outstanding Vietnamese students to further their education in Singapore.  As a small country with limited natural resources, Singapore understands the importance of human resource development.  From my personal interactions with Vietnamese from all walks of life, I know that the Vietnamese people are very enterprising and determined to improve their lot in life.

7             Let me now share with you a true story of a Vietnamese student and his association with Singapore.  Let’s call him “Anh”.  Anh came from a poor family in Central Vietnam. Many years ago, Anh and his father took a bus to Hanoi. They reached Hanoi in the late evening and slept at a bus stop that night because they did not have much money.  The next morning, he went for his test and later called up for an interview at the Singapore Embassy.  Anh performed well and was eventually awarded a scholarship by the Singapore Government.  Upon completing his education, Anh returned to Vietnam to start his own business and is now contributing to his country's development.

8             Mr Anh's experience epitomises the 'Singapore Story'. Mr Anh came from a humble background but he succeeded because he and his family believed in the value of education, and in fighting for a bright future for himself. Similarly, the Singapore Government has consistently emphasised that every child - regardless of race, language or religion - must have equal opportunities to realise his or her educational potential.  Every Singaporean should also be able to advance in life based on the principle of merit, and not because of family connections or wealth.  The values that we cherished most in Singapore – hard work, self-reliance, meritocracy and multi-racialism – have served Singapore well for the last 50 years and will continue to be upheld for many generations to come.  The chief architect behind Singapore’s development was our founding Prime Minister, the late Mr Lee Kuan Yew. While his demise in March saddened the entire nation, his legacy will continue to inspire us.

9             The Singapore story is far from complete.  It is still a work in progress.  As we continue our journey and look forward towards the future, we are reminded by the words of Mr Lee:

               “There’s a glorious rainbow that beckons those with the spirit of adventure. And there are rich findings at the end of the rainbow. To the young and to the not-so-old, I say, look at that horizon, follow that rainbow, go ride it.”  

               I hope all of us will find that rainbow in different stages of our life. Singapore looks to the future with confidence and optimism. Part of this optimism stems from the awareness that we have constantly strengthened our bilateral relationships with friends like Vietnam. 42 years of diplomatic ties have given us a solid foundation to further enhance bilateral relations at all levels and work together at the regional and international level. Singapore looks forward to continuing our cooperation with Vietnam, and taking our bilateral relationship to greater heights.

10           May I now invite all of you to join me in a toast:

               to the continued success and prosperity of Singapore and Vietnam;

               to the good health, happiness and success of our leaders;

               to a close and cohesive community of ASEAN nations;

               to the good health of our Guest of Honour and everyone present this evening. 

11           Thank you. Majulah Singapura!

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