Foreign Affairs Minister Vivian Balakrishnan met with Singaporean businesses on his final stop in Ho Chi Minh City during his introductory visit to Vietnam on Thursday.
In a Facebook post, he said he took a short tour of SC VivoCity in the city's District 7 with CEO of Mapletree Vietnam, Mr Lee Seng Chee. He also stopped for coffee at an organic produce store, 5th Element, run by a Singaporean, Mr KC Low, who has lived in Vietnam for 30 years. He later went to Co.opXtra, a hypermarket run by NTUC FairPrice.
Sinapore is Ho Chi Minh City's top foreign investor, said Dr Balakrishnan. "I believe our investments will continue to flourish with support from the city government," he added.
He called the city a "vibrant commercial hub" that "will be one of the megacities of Asean".
Dr Balakrishnan was also hosted to lunch by Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee Chairman Nguyen Thanh Phong. The two discussed the common challenges that Singapore and Ho Chi Minh City share, such as environmental sustainability, water and public transportation.
"We both aspire to be Smart Cities, to address our peoples' needs in the face of the ongoing Fourth Industrial Revolution," said Dr Balakrishnan.
He said he was "happy to see Singapore investments thriving alongside Vietnamese businesses" and called his introductory visit a fruitful one.
The foreign minister was in Vietnam for a three-day official visit.
