DPM Heng, China's Premier Li meet, discuss ways to deepen cooperation

Beijing

DEPUTY Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat called on Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and other top Chinese leaders here on Thursday to discuss ways to strengthen bilateral cooperation.

Meeting with Mr Li at the Zhongnanhai leadership compound, the two leaders welcomed the progress of collaboration in existing areas such as the Belt and Road Initiative, the China-Singapore (Chongqing) Connectivity Initiative-New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor (CCI-ILSTC), three government-to-government projects and the China-Singapore Guangzhou Knowledge City.

They also discussed new opportunities to deepen cooperation, including in the Greater Bay Area and the Yangtze River Delta region, and reaffirmed both countries' commitment to preserving an open and rules-based multilateral trading system, Mr Heng's press secretary said.

Mr Li congratulated Mr Heng on his appointment as deputy prime minister, and said China was committed to working with Singapore to advance bilateral cooperation through the Joint Council for Bilateral Cooperation (JCBC) and other platforms.

Mr Heng took over last month as co-chair of the JCBC, the highest-level forum between the two countries, from Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean.

Mr Heng noted the good tempo of bilateral visits by officials from both sides, and that Mr Li had met both Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and President Halimah Yacob when they were in Beijing earlier this year. "The fact that you have spent so much time with us, that shows the importance (of) and attention you have personally paid to our bilateral relations, and I thank you for that attention," Mr Heng said.

Mr Heng was also hosted to lunch by director of the Central Foreign Affairs Commission Office Yang Jiechi, during which they exchanged views on regional and international issues of interest.