China, Singapore to enhance cooperation

BEIJING - Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Saturday met with visiting Singaporean President Halimah Yacob, who came to China for the opening ceremony of the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games.

China attaches great importance to developing relations with Singapore, said Li, noting that the country is ready to maintain high-level exchanges with Singapore and deepen the synergy of development strategies of the two sides.

Li called for strengthening bilateral cooperation in multiple fields, including finance, pandemic response, and vocational education and training to bring more benefits to the two countries and peoples.

On the basis of sound epidemic prevention and control, China is willing to gradually resume personnel exchanges with Singapore and facilitate the return to school of Singaporean students who study in China, said Li.

He expressed the hope that the two sides will work together to promote effective implementation of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership pact.

China is willing to actively communicate with Singapore on joining the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and the Digital Economy Partnership Agreement (DEPA) to enhance higher-level openness in bilateral cooperation, Li added.

Halimah hailed the strong bilateral relations with frequent high-level interactions and sound economic and trade cooperation, calling for the two sides to seize opportunities to further deepen cooperation in areas such as the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor and break new grounds of cooperation in digital economy and green development.

She also said that Singapore supports China's accession to the DEPA and welcomes China's application to join the CPTPP.