Singapore's Deputy Prime Minister and Coordinating Minister for National Security Teo Chee Hean welcomed visiting Politburo Standing Committee Member and Chinese Vice Premier Han Zheng yesterday. The two welcomed the deepening cooperation between the two sides under the Belt and Road Initiative and reiterated their support for free trade and economic liberalization.
According to a statement issued by the Singapore Ministry of Foreign Affairs last night, Zhang Zhixian met with Han Zheng at the Asian Civilization Museum last night, and then hosted a dinner for him and his accompanying delegation.
The two Deputy Prime Ministers reaffirmed the long-standing, strong and multifaceted bilateral relationship between New Zealand and China, and welcomed the deepening of cooperation between the two countries under the Belt and Road Initiative.These areas of cooperation include infrastructure connectivity, financial services connectivity, cooperation with third parties, and cooperation in legal, judicial and professional services.
The two also expressed their expectation for an early upgrade of the China-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement to demonstrate the commitment of both parties to free trade and economic liberalization.
Teo Chee Hean said at the welcome dinner: Singapore and China have many common interests, for example, we both support an open, rules-based multilateral trading system.Han Zhengze said: China is willing to work with New Zealand to jointly maintain the rules-based multilateral trading system and make positive contributions to the stability and prosperity of the region and the world.
Discuss the establishment of the Singapore-Shanghai Cooperation Committee
The two also discussed setting up a Singapore-Shanghai Cooperation Council at the ministerial or provincial level, as well as developing reciprocal internship programs for youth and students from both countries, and instructed officials to follow up.
This is Han Zheng's first visit to Singapore since he assumed the Chinese chairmanship of the Joint Council for Bilateral Cooperation (JCBC).Zhang Zhixian has been the co-chairman of JCBC's new side since 2011, and has been in charge of cooperation with China for seven years.Both said yesterday that they are looking forward to the series of meetings held today
Before the dinner, Han Zheng, accompanied by Zhang Zhixian, visited the Deng Xiaoping Monument by the Singapore River.
Zhang Zhixian said that Deng Xiaoping's visit to Singapore in 1978 was a return visit to Singapore's then Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew's visit to China in 1976. The exchange of visits between the two leaders laid a solid foundation for the close relationship between China and Singapore and the exchanges between the leaders of the two sides in the past 40 years.
The Deng Xiaoping Monument was erected outside the Asian Civilizations Museum. It was erected in 2010 to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Singapore and China. It was jointly unveiled by Lee Kuan Yew and the then Chinese Vice President Zhong.
After the dinner, accompanied by Zhang Zhixian, Han Zheng visited the exhibition of the shipwreck of the Black Rock in the Asian Civilizations Museum.The Black Stone was a cargo ship sailing to the Middle East during the Tang Dynasty in China. At that time, an accident occurred in the Sumatra Sea of Indonesia. When the leader of the Chinese State Council delivered a keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation last year, he deliberatelymention it.
Zhang Zhixian said that this shipwreck has witnessed the free maritime trade between China, Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Africa, and it is also a testimony to the long-term historical relationship between Singapore and China.
The two also expressed support for the cooperation between the Asian Civilizations Museum and the Shanghai Museum to display the Black Stone in Shanghai and hold an international symposium.
Han Zheng also visited the Pasir Panjang Container Terminal yesterday afternoon, accompanied by the Coordinating Minister of Infrastructure and Transport of Singapore, Xu Wenyuan, and the Senior Minister of State of the Ministry of Trade and Industry and the Ministry of Education, Xu Fangda.Xu Fangda was also Han Zheng's Minister of Attendance on this trip.
