Chinese, Singaporean leaders vow to promote cooperation

English>>Foreign Affairs

Editor's Pick

Chinese, Singaporean leaders vow to promote cooperation

(Xinhua) 20:47, October 23, 2013

Email|Print|Comments

twitter

facebook

Sina Microblog

SINGAPORE, Oct. 23 -- Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli wrapped up a three-day visit to Singapore on Wednesday, reaching extensive consensus with Singaporean leaders to promote bilateral cooperation.

At a meeting with Singaporean President Tony Tan Keng Yam on Tuesday, Zhang said his visit was aimed at deepening cooperation with the city state in the areas of economic transformation, financial services, cultural exchange and sustainable development.

"Both China and Singapore are readjusting its economic structure, which provides a precious opportunity for deepening and expanding cooperation," Zhang said, calling for innovation of cooperation methods.

Earlier in the day, Zhang, together with his Singaporean counterpart Teo Chee Hean, co-chaired the 10th meeting of China- Singapore Joint Council for Bilateral Cooperation, a high-level institutional mechanism established in 2003 to oversee the entire range of bilateral cooperation.

He also presided over the 15th China-Singapore Joint Steering Council Meeting for the Suzhou Industrial Park and the sixth China- Singapore Joint Steering Council Meeting for the Tianjin Eco-city.

The Suzhou Industrial Park and the Tianjin Eco-city are two flagship projects between the two governments to promote their cooperation in high-tech industries and sustainable development.

Zhang said those flagship projects should continue to be implemented, calling on the two governments to support the Suzhou Industrial Park to invest in other parts of China and in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

Noting that Singapore is an important member of the ASEAN, Zhang said China is willing to strengthen communication and cooperation with Singapore in the joint bid to build a China-ASEAN community of common destiny, so as to give a boost to regional stability and prosperity.

For his part, Tony said bilateral relations between Singapore and China have been mature, with the two countries closely connected by those cooperation projects.

Singapore would like to explore new ways of cooperation with China, he said, adding the bilateral cooperation would not only benefit the two countries, but also benefit the region and the world.

While meeting with Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Zhang said that China and Singapore should give a full play to the existing cooperation mechanisms, carry on the major projects and expand cooperation, so as to promote further development of bilateral ties from a new starting point.

In particular, Zhang said the Chinese government welcomes Singapore to take part in the development of China's west and northeast regions.

Lee, who paid an official visit to China in August, said that Singapore is happy to see China continues its reform and opening- door policy.

The continuous and stable development of China accords with the interests of Singapore, he said, calling for joint efforts to deepen mutually-beneficial cooperation and explore new areas for cooperation.

During his visit, Zhang also attended a luncheon with financial leaders of both countries. He invited Singapore to join the move to establish an Asian infrastructure investment bank, a proposal raised by China to support regional countries in their infrastructure upgrading.