SINGAPORE, Nov. 12 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang arrived here Monday to start his first official visit to Singapore, where he is expected to build momentum for free trade and regional cooperation.

During the visit, Li is also going to attend the 21st China-ASEAN (the Association of Southeast Asian Nations) (10+1) leaders' meeting, the 21st ASEAN-China, Japan and Republic of Korea (10+3) leaders' meeting and the 13th East Asia Summit.

This is the first official visit by a Chinese premier to Singapore in 11 years. Singapore holds the rotating ASEAN chairmanship this year.

Li's visit is widely considered a key part of China's manifold diplomacy to defend multilateralism and free trade. It works in tandem with the recent China International Import Expo and Chinese President Xi Jinping's scheduled attendance of the upcoming APEC meeting in Papua New Guinea and G20 summit in Argentina.

This year marks the 15th anniversary of the establishment of strategic partnership between China and ASEAN as well as the 40th anniversary of China's reform and opening up, to which Singapore contributed invaluable experience and investment.

In Singapore, Premier Li is expected to hold talks with President Halimah Yacob and Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.