Speech by President Tony Tan Keng Yam at the State Banquet hosted in Honour of HE U Thein Sein, President of the Republic Union of Myanmar

Your Excellency U Thein Sein
President of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar

Daw Khin Khin Win

Distinguished Guests

Ladies and Gentlemen

        Mingalabar. It is my pleasure to welcome Your Excellency and Daw Khin Khin Win to Singapore. We are honoured by Your Excellency’s State Visit which bears testament to the warm relationship between our two countries.

        Singapore and Myanmar established diplomatic ties back in 1966.  Since then, our friendship has grown from strength to strength. Our countries have close and growing links in many areas and our governments enjoy good cooperation. Over the years, our people-to-people interactions have also intensified, with an increasing presence of Myanmar professionals, students and tourists in Singapore. 

        Tonight, I am especially pleased to listen to the beautiful music performed by Myanmar cellist Saw James Hsar Doe Soe, who is the first Myanmar scholar in our Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music. I am also happy to note the presence of some Myanmar scholars who study in our universities. 

        Your Excellency’s visit marks a new chapter in our bilateral relationship. Earlier today, our Foreign Ministers signed a Memorandum of Understanding on the “Singapore-Myanmar Technical Cooperation Programme”. Since the inception of the Singapore Cooperation Programme in 1992, Singapore has provided technical assistance to over 7,500 Myanmar officials in various fields. With this Memorandum of Understanding, we pledge to assist Myanmar in its capacity-building efforts, and to continue supporting Myanmar in its transition to parliamentary democracy.

        As Myanmar integrates with the international community, we hope that our economic cooperation and business-to-business links will strengthen. The close cooperation between our governments has provided a strong framework for our private sector exchanges to intensify. Singaporean businesses and companies have invested in Myanmar since the 1990s. We have every confidence that Myanmar’s progress in developing its economic infrastructure and legal framework will further encourage investments into the country. 

Your Excellency,

        Like many countries in Southeast Asia, Singapore and Myanmar share a common vision of achieving an ASEAN Community in 2015. Myanmar will assume the ASEAN Chairmanship in 2014. Singapore will continue to work closely with Myanmar in its ASEAN Chairmanship, and towards advancing our common regional interests for the betterment of our peoples.

        I am confident that our relationship will continue to grow in the coming years.

        As old friends and neighbours in ASEAN, Singapore wishes Myanmar well. We hope to see Myanmar develop and prosper, and look forward to deepening our ties at all levels. 

Distinguished Guests

Ladies and Gentlemen

        May I now invite you to rise and join me in a toast:

·         To the good health and continued success of His Excellency President U Thein Sein and Daw Khin Khin Win;

·         To the peace, progress and prosperity of the people of Myanmar; and

·         To the enduring friendship between Singapore and Myanmar.