Vietnam, Singapore cultural exchange via diplomacy

THE HANOI TIMES — Mrs. Loo Tze Lui, wife of Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, smiled as she received the gift from Mrs. Ngo Phuong Ly, wife of General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam To Lam, as a gesture of friendship and to convey national cultural values that the host would like to offer.

Having an ao dai (Vietnamese traditional dress) which was designed by Ngo Phuong Ly and made by Vietnamese artisan from Vietnam’s centuries-long silk weaving villages, Loo Tze Lui felt it’s more than a diplomatic gesture but emotions that Ly wanted to give her in her official visit to Vietnam on March 25-26.

Loo Tze Lui expressed her appreciation for the gift, Vietnam’s national attire and a symbol of its rich traditions and the elegance of Vietnamese women. She admired the delicate embroidery work, particularly the intricate lotus flower patterns embroidered on the fabric.

A highlight of the warm gathering was Mrs. Loo Tze Lui wearing a Vietnamese ao dai paired with an embroidered lotus scarf, while Mrs. Ngo Phuong Ly donned an ao dai adorned with orchid motifs, the very flower named Papilionanda To Lam Linh Ly during her visit to Singapore in mid-March 2025.

In a warm and engaging cultural exchange at the Presidential Palace in Hanoi, the spouses of Vietnamese and Singaporean leaders shared a cordial conversation before attending a traditional Vietnamese water puppet performance.

The meeting was part of Prime Minister Wong and Mrs. Loo Tze Lui’s official visit to Vietnam, aimed at strengthening bilateral relations which were upgraded to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership two weeks ago.

Welcoming Mrs. Loo Tze Lui to Vietnam, Mrs. Ngo Phuong Ly recalled her recent visit to Singapore and expressed her appreciation for the warm reception extended to General Secretary To Lam, herself, and the Vietnamese delegation by the Singaporean government and the people of Singapore.

Ly highlighted memorable moments from the trip, including the orchid-naming ceremony, a symbol of goodwill and diplomatic ties that Singaporeans gave them. She said that she continues to care for the Papilionanda To Lam Linh Ly, the orchid named in honor of the Vietnamese leader and his wife.

In response, Mrs. Loo Tze Lui was pleased to hear of Mrs. Ngo Phuong Ly’s fond memories of Singapore. She reflected on her own experiences in Vietnam, particularly her visit to the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology and her appreciation of traditional Vietnamese cuisine, which gave her insight into the country’s rich history and cultural heritage.

The meeting concluded with a performance of water puppetry, a unique Vietnamese folk art that originated in the country’s rice cultivation culture. This centuries-old art form remains a cherished part of Vietnam’s artistic and cultural identity.

On the same day, Mrs. Loo Tze Lui and Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s wife, Le Thi Bich Tran, toured the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology to explore exhibitions showcasing Vietnam’s 54 ethnic groups, their traditional clothing, musical instruments, agricultural tools, and daily life through photographs and films.

They also visited the museum’s Architectural Garden, which features folk structures and Southeast Asian architecture, reflecting indigenous knowledge and cultural diversity.

At the museum, they observed artisans creating Dong Ho paintings, a renowned Vietnamese folk art form dating back to the 16th century. Le Thi Bich Tran gifted Loo Tze Lui the famous “Buffalo Herding and Flute Playing” painting. They also watched craftsmen making traditional Vietnamese conical hats, including those adorned with lotus motifs and colorful ethnic patterns.

The cultural exchange between the ladies demonstrated the strong and growing ties between Vietnam and Singapore, fostering greater mutual understanding and appreciation of each nation’s heritage. The same gesture was made during the official visit that Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh paid to Singapore in February 2023.

On February 9, 2023, the orchid Papilionanda Pham Le Tran Chinh, a hybrid in the Papilionanda genus, was named after Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and his wife, Le Thi Bich Tran, during a ceremony held at the Singapore Botanic Gardens.

Singapore’s “orchid diplomacy” dating to 1956 honors dignitaries with hybrid orchids symbolizing resilience, strength, and multiculturalism.

Vietnam, on the other hand, typically offers gifts that showcase its cultural heritage, craftsmanship, and natural resources. These gifts symbolize goodwill, respect, and the country’s rich traditions, including lacquerware and handicrafts, silver and bronze artworks, lotus-themed gifts, traditional textiles and silk, specialty agricultural products, and custom-made statues and portraits.

The gifts serve as symbols of friendship, cultural pride, and Vietnam’s diplomatic finesse, representing its traditional culture with iconic symbols of the thousand-year-old Hanoi or those from centuries-long craft villages such as Van Phuc Silk Village, Bat Trang Ceramics Village, and many ancient embroidery, lacquer and silversmith villages whose products are available worldwide.

The exchange of cultural values is part of the fruitful relationship between Vietnam and Singapore, which focuses on economic ties. In 2024, Singapore ranked as the biggest investor in Vietnam, with more than US$10.2 billion, accounting for 26.7% of Vietnam’s total foreign investment. Among various sectors, industrial infrastructure remains the largest field with the iconic Vietnam-Singapore Industrial Parks (VSIPs), which amount to 20 across the country, attracting foreign direct investment (FDI) flows to Vietnam.