Li pledges to advance ties with Singapore

China views its relationship with Singapore from both regional and global perspectives, Premier Li Qiang said on Wednesday during a meeting in Beijing with Singapore's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Lawrence Wong.

Li said that President Xi Jinping and Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong jointly announced the elevation of China-Singapore relations to an all-around, high-quality and future-oriented partnership in March during Lee's visit to China.

China is willing to work with Singapore to follow the strategic guidance of the leaders of both countries, uphold a high level of strategic mutual trust, and promote high-quality, mutually beneficial cooperation, he said.

The premier called on both countries to seize the opportunity to further upgrade the free trade agreement to enhance cooperation mechanisms, in order to better benefit the peoples of both countries.

China is also willing to strengthen unity and cooperation with countries in the region and inject new impetus into regional integration, Li said.

Wong said that Singapore highly values its relationship with China and is willing to enhance high-level exchanges with it.

Singapore is committed to deepening practical cooperation in the areas of trade, investment and the digital economy, he said, and it will actively contribute to maintaining regional peace, stability and development, and advance the continuous development of the China-Singapore relationship.

Wong is on a visit to China from Tuesday to Friday at the invitation of Vice-Premier Ding Xuexiang.

Ding and Wong will co-chair the 19th meeting of the China-Singapore Joint Council for Bilateral Cooperation, the 24th meeting of the China-Singapore Suzhou Industrial Park Joint Steering Council, the 15th meeting of the China-Singapore Tianjin Eco-City Joint Steering Council, and the seventh meeting of the China-Singapore (Chongqing) Demonstration Initiative on Strategic Connectivity Joint Steering Council in Tianjin on Thursday.

caodesheng@chinadaily.com.cn