Vietnam TV (VTV) and MediaCorp have signed an Agreement for Cooperation, a by-product of the Memorandum of Understanding(MOU) on cultural and information cooperation signed between Singapore and Vietnam in 1998. The signing occurred during the official opening of VTV’s bureau in Singapore, the first event in a series to commemorate 40 years of diplomatic relations between Singapore and Vietnam.

Vietnam President Truong Tan Sang made Singapore his first stop in his introductory visit to ASEAN countries in September 2011. In April last year, newly-elected Singapore President Dr Tony Tan too made Vietnam his first stop in his first overseas State visit. These visits demonstrated the strengthening bilateral relations and friendly ties between Vietnam and Singapore.

The setting up of VTV’s bureau in Singapore is both a boost to relations between the two countries as well as an affirmation of Singapore’s position as a regional media hub. The Agreement for Cooperation between VTV and MediaCorp is a by-product of the Memorandum of Understanding, or MOU, on cultural and information cooperation signed between Singapore and Vietnam in 1998. The MOU has enabled both countries to broaden and deepen our relationship by promoting cultural and information exchange.

“In the past decade, bilateral trade had increased four-fold and Singapore is among the top three foreign investors in Vietnam. The Connectivity Framework Agreement, currently in its ninth year, underpins Vietnam and Singapore’s strong economic cooperation. It has provided an overarching framework to increase cooperation across the six key sectors of education and training, finance, information technology and telecommunications, investment, trade and services, as well as transportation,” said Ms Sim Ann, Senior Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Communications and Information & Ministry of Education. “VTV’s choice of Singapore testifies to the attractiveness of Singapore’s strategic location and excellent infrastructure that have led more than 40 media organisations to have bureaus here.”