Wen’s upcoming visit to Singapore to boost bilateral ties

BEIJING—Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao’s upcoming visit to Singapore is believed to further boost friendly relations and cooperation between the two countries, said He Yafei, assistant minister of foreign affairs, on Wednesday.
Premier Wen is going to pay an official visit to Singapore from Nov. 18 to 19, the first visit by Chinese premier in eight years. After the visit, Wen will attend the relevant meetings of the Association of the Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). He said Wen would hold talks with his Singaporean counterpart Lee Hsien Loong on bilateral cooperation and the regional and international issues of common concern.
Wen would also meet with Singaporean President S.R. Nathan, Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong, and Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew, he said. “Premier Wen will deliver an important speech at the National University of Singapore, stressing China will continue to adopt open financial policy under the guidance of the spirit of the 17thNational Congress of the Communist Party of China,” He told a press conference introducing Wen’s visit.
“We believe Wen’s visit will push forward the friendly relations and cooperation between China and Singapore,” he said. Earlier, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao will make an official visit to Singapore and attend a series of meetings there from Nov. 18 to 22, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao announced here on Tuesday.
The meetings will include the 11th ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) plus Three (China, Japan and the Republic of Korea) summit, the 11th China-ASEAN summit, and the third east Asian regional summit, Liu said.—Xinhua