Singaporean PM Lee Hsien Loong walks around Hoan Kiem Lake, tries Vietnamese food in Hanoi
Monday, August 28, 2023, 14:31 GMT+7
Visiting Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong took a stroll around Hoan Kiem Lake and sampled some Vietnamese food at a restaurant in Hanoi on Sunday evening, not long after his arrival for an official visit to Vietnam.
PM Lee and his entourage touched down at Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi late on Sunday afternoon, beginning his three-day visit at the invitation of his Vietnamese counterpart Pham Minh Chinh.
The Singaporean government leader was welcomed at the airport by the Minister of Labor, War Invalids, and Social Affairs Dao Ngoc Dung and other officials, and PM Chinh was scheduled to host an official welcome ceremony for PM Lee on Monday morning.
More than two hours after arrival, PM Lee and some accompanying Singaporean officials had their dinner at a Vietnamese restaurant on Yen The Street in Dong Da District.
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| Singaporean PM Lee Hsien Loong is seen happily taking photos during his walking tour of Hoan Kiem Lake in Hanoi, Vietnam on the evening of August 27, 2023. Photo: Nguyen Khanh / Tuoi Tre |
At around 9:00 pm, the Singaporean guests took a sightseeing tour of the Hoan Kiem Lake area, where they walked on the pedestrian streets, intermingling with local residents who flocked there on weekends to relax.
PM Lee smiled and waved to locals while taking photos of the beautiful scenes around the lake, such as the The Huc Bridge and Dong Kinh Nghia Thuc Square.
As soon as the Singaporean leader walked through the gate leading to The Huc Bridge, he was warmly welcomed by locals who applauded his visit and called his name.
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| PM Lee Hsien Loong and other Singaporean officials walk on a pedestrian street in the Hoan Kiem Lake area in Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi on the evening of August 27, 2023. Photo: Nguyen Khanh / Tuoi Tre |
PM Lee stopped and photographed two ice cream shops with Singaporean signboards during his walk.
The Singaporean guests also visited and photographed Ngoc Son Temple nearby.
PM Lee’s hobby is photography, so he often captures beautiful photos during his business trips and posts them on social networks.
On the official Facebook page on August 27, PM Lee extended greetings to everyone and said he was in Hanoi on an official visit.
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| Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong takes photos of the The Huc Bridge at Hoan Kiem Lake in Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi on the evening of August 27, 2023. Photo: Nguyen Khanh / Tuoi Tre |
The visit takes place as the two countries are celebrating the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations and the 10th anniversary of their strategic partnership.
“Beyond diplomatic relations, Singaporeans and Vietnamese also share many common interests, such as a love for good food!” Lee wrote in a post, attached to a photo of Tran Quoc Pagoda in Hanoi, on his Facebook page on Sunday.
After hosting a reception for PM Lee on Monday morning, PM Chinh will have a talk with his Singaporean counterpart, focusing on steps to further deepen the bilateral relations between the two countries, and will witness the signing of several cooperation instruments.
PM Lee will also have meetings with Vietnam’s Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, State President Vo Van Thuong, and National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue on the same day.
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| PM Lee Hsien Loong is pictured with a smile during his walk around Hoan Kiem Lake in Hanoi and his cellphone in hand to take photos of beautiful scenes on the evening of August 27, 2023. Photo: Nguyen Khanh / Tuoi Tre |
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| Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and his entourage walk on the The Huc Bridge in Hanoi on the evening of August 27, 2023. Photo: Nguyen Khanh / Tuoi Tre |
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| Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong smiles and waves to the people of Hanoi during his visit to Ngoc Son Temple on the evening of August 27, 2023. Photo: Nguyen Khanh / Tuoi Tre |
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| Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong leaves Ngoc Son Temple in a car, passing by the office of the Hanoi People’s Committee on the evening of August 27, 2023. Photo: Nguyen Khanh / Tuoi Tre |
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