China, Singapore pledge to deepen pragmatic cooperation in multiple fields

Visiting Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi (L) meets with Singapore's Minister for Foreign Affairs Vivian Balakrishnan in Singapore, on Sept. 13, 2021. (Xinhua/Then Chih Wey)

SINGAPORE, Sept. 13 (Xinhua) -- China and Singapore pledged here Monday to deepen pragmatic cooperation between the two countries in multiple sectors.

While meeting with Singapore's Minister for Foreign Affairs Vivian Balakrishnan, visiting Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said China and Singapore have enjoyed mutual understanding and mutual trust in the development of bilateral relations.

While mainly focusing on economic development and fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, the two side have worked together to push forward the development of the bilateral ties and have achieved fruitful results, Wang said.

China is willing to join hands with Singapore to promote strategic communication, deepen pragmatic cooperation, overcome difficulties and meet challenges, and win the war against the pandemic at an early date so as to push forward the speedy recovery of each other's economy and make positive contribution to peace and development of the region and the world at large, Wang said

He stressed that the two sides should maintain high-level exchanges, strengthen joint prevention and control of COVID-19 and press for cooperation in fighting the virus.

Wang also noted that the two sides should work together to push forward the joint construction of the Belt and Road with high quality, give full play to the role of the new land-sea route, synergize the new land-sea route with the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Mechanism, tap the cooperation potential in the fields including E-commerce business, artificial intelligence, mobile payment and big data so as to add new impetus to the development of bilateral ties.

China is ready to work with ASEAN countries including Singapore to make good preparation for the commemorative event to mark the 30th anniversary of the dialogue relations between China and ASEAN so as to elevate the China-ASEAN relations to a higher level, he said.

Wang said the two sides should also work together to push for the early entry into force of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).

For his part, Balakrishnan said China and Singapore have maintained an open, candid and friend-like relationship, and Singapore is grateful for China's provision of COVID-19 vaccines to his country.

Singapore is always ready to deepen its cooperation with China in the fight against the pandemic, trade, investment, digital economy and green development, he said.

He said Singapore would like to make greater efforts to align China's plan for the new land-sea route with the Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity 2025, so as to inject new impetus into the ties between the two countries.

As China-ASEAN relations bear a fundamental, comprehensive and strategic significance, Balakrishnan said ASEAN countries hope to develop a stable and solid relationship of cooperation with China as both sides mark the 30th anniversary of dialogue relations this year.

Singapore supports the acceleration of consultations on the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea, and backs the RCEP agreement taking effect at an early date, Balakrishnan said.

He noted that Singapore is willing to work with China to stick to multilateralism in addressing new problems and challenges, in a bid to push for the just and sustainable development of the world.