State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan met in Beijing Thursday with
visiting Singaporean Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong.
Tang said relations between the two countries were good, with
mutual trust and common interests.
The two countries effectively cooperated in the fields of high
technology, and China's western and northeastern regions, Tang
said. "This cooperation has breathed new vitality into the
development of bilateral ties."
Tang said China attached great importance to relations with the
Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and its ten member
countries, including Singapore.
China and the ASEAN had comprehensive and mutually beneficial
cooperation.
The Chinese government was willing to actively forge a strategic
partnership and promote a free trade zone with the ASEAN so as to
improve cooperation.
Goh said China's development had brought opportunities to ASEAN
countries, including Singapore.
Singapore was willing to boost cooperation in trade and economy,
investment and energy and promote regional development and
prosperity, he said.
He reiterated that Singapore would adhere to the one-China
policy and oppose "Taiwan independence."
Goh arrived Wednesday at the invitation of the Chinese
government. This is his first visit since the former Singaporean
prime minister took up the post of senior minister in August
2004.
On Thursday, he also met with Premier Wen Jiabao and Chairman of
the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political
Consultative Conference Jia Qinglin.
Goh will also visit the resort city of Suzhou in East China's
Jiangsu Province and Shanghai.
Singapore is China's seventh biggest trade partner with
bilateral trade volume last year hitting US$33.15 billion.
With investment in China amounting to US$27.74 billion by the
end of 2005, Singapore is China's eighth biggest investor.
(Xinhua News Agency April 14, 2006)
