Singapore, China to sign high-level agreements during Xi's visit

SINGAPORE and China are expected to announce details of high-level agreements between the two governments, including the third government-to-government project later this week, when Chinese President Xi Jinping visits the Republic on Nov 6 and 7.

The two countries are also expected to release details on the upgraded version of the bilateral free trade agreement.

On the cards are also education, customs and finance industry agreements that will be inked between the two nations during Mr Xi's visit.

Economic ties aside, Mr Xi will share his views on bilateral relations, China's relations with Asean and on geopolitical issues in a speech.

Chinese ambassador to Singapore Chen Xiaodong shared these details in a press briefing on Tuesday morning.

Mr Xi's whirlwind tour takes place for less than a day, but is packed with significance and importance for both countries.

Highlighting that Mr Xi's visit happens at a time when both countries are commemorating the 25th year of establishing diplomatic ties, Mr Chen said that leaders from both nations will look at how to "reposition" such ties between Singapore and China.

One of the key highlights will be the announcing of where the third government-to-government collaboration will be located, after Suzhou Industrial Park in 1994 and the Tianjin Eco-City in 2008.

The new project will be established in western China, and will serve as a nodal point in Mr Xi's plans to develop China's western region through the "One Belt, One Road" initiative.

This will be Mr Xi's first state visit to Singapore since becoming president in 2012. It also will be the first visit by a head of state that the newly-minted Singapore government will receive.

Mr Xi, accompanied by his wife Peng Liyuan, will arrive in Singapore on Friday evening and will attend a state banquet held in his honour later that night.

He will then officiate the opening of the China Cultural Centre at Queen Street with Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong on Saturday morning, before adjourning to make a public speech on geopolitical issues.

Mr Xi and Ms Peng will then have an orchid named after them in a ceremony at the Botanic Gardens. They will then attend a private lunch hosted by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and his wife Ho Ching.