Vietnam Seeks More Support from Singapore Trade Unions: VGCL President

Vietnam wants to receive more support and learn experience from the Singapore National Trade Union Congress (SNTUC) in building a trade union movement, said Dang Ngoc Tung, President of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor (VGCL). President Tung made the remark during his talks with SNTUC’s high-ranking delegation led by Heng Chee How, SNTUC’s Deputy Secretary-General, Senior Minister of State in charge of the Prime Minister’s Office and Deputy Leader of the House of Representatives, in Hanoi on August 15. Mr. Tung highly valued solidarity and cooperation between the two countries’ trade unions, expressing his hope that the visit will contribute to further strengthening their sound relationship. Notably, the SNTUC has made more efforts, since setting up friendship and cooperation with the VGCL, to help the Vietnamese side organize numerous conferences, training courses and received many trade union officials of Vietnam to study in Singapore, Mr. Tung said. In response, Heng Chee How congratulated the Vietnamese side on the significant achievements Vietnam has gained in ensuring legitimate rights and interests for laborers. The Singaporean official expressed his hope that the two trade unions will continue to work closely for the development of both sides in the future. Vietnam-Singapore bilateral ties were officially established in 1973. Since then, the two countries have boosted the bilateral cooperation in many fields, including labor and education. Singapore is now the fourth biggest investor in Vietnam with total investment of more than $23 billion in over 1,000 projects, mainly in the fields of oil and gas, agro-forestry and fisheries processing, infrastructure building, education and healthcare. (www.chinhphu.vn Aug 15)