Before we collaborate...

Hasnita A Majid in Vietnam
hasnita@mediacorp.com.sg

SINGAPORE will assess a country’s ability to absorb the transfer of ideas and knowledge before deciding whether to collaborate on joint projects. And if a country is not serious about knowledge transfer, the Republic will be reluctant to work with it, as it will be a fruitless effort.

Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew made this point while speaking to Vietnamese President Nguyen Minh Triet during a courtesy call yesterday.

But Mr Lee is confident that Vietnam’s leadership wants to make a breakthrough in the new economy, evidenced by the success of the first two Vietnam-Singapore Industrial Park projects in south Vietnam. With the support given by President Triet and his government, the joint venture has been a success and is now expanding to north Vietnam, said Mr Lee, who believes the new projects in Bac Ninh and Hai Phong will make similar progress as the ones in Ho Chi Minh City.

President Triet said the industrial park projects are symbols of good friendship between the two countries. He is also pleased with the progress made in the area of education collaboration.
CHANNEL NEWSASIA

From TODAY, News – Friday, 17-April-2009