Chinese, Singaporean premiers vow to further relations

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao (R) shakes hands with his Singaporean counterpart Lee Hsien Loong during a meeting in Vientiane, Nov. 28, 2004. (Xinhua photo)

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong pledged in Vientiane on Sunday to make more efforts to develop relations between the two countries.

"The Chinese side is glad to see that the Singaporean side has recently repeated its adherence to the one-China policy and opposition to 'Taiwan independence,'" Wen told Lee in a meeting here.

"This lays a more solid foundation for development of bilateralties," Wen said.

A press release from the Chinese delegation also quoted Wen as saying that economic and trade relations between China and Singapore are gaining momentum.

Wen said that the two countries have always attached importanceto linking their economic and trade ties with their own development strategies.

"This is the prominent feature of Sino-Singaporean economic andtrade cooperation," Wen noted.

Strengthening Sino-Singaporean relations is in the interests of both countries and conducive to promoting peace, stability and development in the region, said the Chinese leader.

"We hope greater progress will be achieved in the Sino-Singaporean cooperation," Wen said.

Wen arrived here earlier in the day for his first official visit as Chinese premier to Laos. He will also attend a series of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) meetings in theLao capital.

Lee, for his part, agreed with Wen's appraisal of bilateral relations and pledged to exert more efforts in this regard, according to the press release.

Economic and trade cooperation between China and Singapore are "two-way" and comprehensive, Lee noted.

The establishment of a free trade zone between China and ASEAN is in the right direction and relations between China and Singapore should be further expanded with more mutual benefits in the process, Lee said.