Chinese state councilor meets Singaporean minister mentor

BEIJING—Chinese State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan met with Singaporean Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew Friday, and they exchanged views on China-Singapore relations and some other issues of common concern.
Tang spoke highly of Lee’s remarkable contribution to promoting the establishment and development of China-Singapore relationship.
Saying the bilateral relationship has entered a track of rapid, steady and mature development, Tang said China is ready to make joint efforts with Singapore to strengthen exchanges and cooperation and make best use of complementary advantages, to promote and deepen friendly and mutually beneficial cooperation.
Lee hailed the great changes taking place in China, saying Singapore needs to maintain close exchanges with China and strengthen cooperation in various fields, which is in the common interests of both sides.
The two also exchanged views on some international and regional issues of shared concern. Lee is on a visit to China from Nov. 14 to 17 at the invitation of the Chinese government. He also met with Chinese President Hu Jintao and Member of the Political Bureau Standing Committee of the Communist Party of China Central Committee Xi Jinping on Friday. China would like to work with Singapore to promote the relations to a new height to benefit the two peoples and the region, said Chinese President Hu Jintao on Friday.
Hu told visiting Singaporean Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew that Sino-Singaporean relations had further developed since the two countries forged diplomatic ties 17 years ago.
The two countries had increased political trust and economic and trade cooperation, and maintained coordination in the international and regional affairs, he added.
Hu expressed gratitude for the adherence of Singapore to the one-China policy, and its opposition to “Taiwan’s Independence” as well as its support to China’s reunification cause.
He said China was pursuing what the 17th CPC National Congress had agreed to build a well-off society, and Singapore was taking the strategy of rebuilding Singapore, thus the two countries faced the new opportunity for cooperation.
Lee Kuan Yew said China’s development benefited Asia and the world. Singapore would be committed to all-round cooperation with China and would play a positive role in promoting cooperation between China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations(ASEAN), he added.

—The Daily Mail, China Daily news exchange item