SINGAPORE, Oct 25 (Xinhua) – China has expressed its willingness to work with Singapore to advance President Xi Jinping’s global initiatives aimed at building a more just and equitable international order, Chinese Premier Li Qiang said on Saturday.
During his talks with Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, Li said that as the multilateral trading system faces increasing challenges, China is ready to cooperate with Singapore to strengthen communication and coordination within the United Nations and other platforms. He said both sides will oppose unilateralism and protectionism while supporting free trade and economic globalization.
Li noted that Xi’s meeting with Wong in Beijing in June set the direction for the next phase of bilateral relations. He said China is ready to work with Singapore under the strategic guidance of their leaders to uphold the founding spirit of diplomatic ties and further traditional friendship.
The Chinese premier called on both sides to consolidate political trust, expand practical cooperation, and deepen their relationship to support modernization, regional peace, and sustainable development.
Li said the recently concluded fourth plenary session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) approved recommendations for formulating the 15th Five-Year Plan. This plan outlines the strategic framework for China’s economic and social development over the next five years and beyond.
He added that China seeks to align development strategies with Singapore, strengthen bilateral mechanisms, and sustain two-way growth in trade and investment. Li emphasized the importance of expanding cooperation in key projects such as the Suzhou Industrial Park and Tianjin Eco-City, and promoting joint initiatives in the digital economy, green development, artificial intelligence, renewable energy, and biomedicine. He also proposed exploring third-party partnerships in regional and global markets.
Li welcomed greater investment from Singaporean companies in China and urged continued support for Chinese enterprises operating in Singapore. He said both countries should exchange experiences in areas such as social welfare, employment, and governance, while promoting collaboration in culture, tourism, education, media, and youth engagement to strengthen mutual understanding.
Prime Minister Wong congratulated China on the successful conclusion of the CPC’s fourth plenary session. Marking the 35th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Singapore and China, he said bilateral ties are growing steadily with expanding cooperation and mutual benefits.
Wong reaffirmed Singapore’s adherence to the one-China policy and its firm opposition to “Taiwan independence.” He said Singapore is ready to maintain close high-level exchanges, promote landmark projects such as the Suzhou Industrial Park, and develop new cooperation areas in the green economy, digital transformation, and artificial intelligence.
He added that Singapore remains confident in China’s continued development and will keep investing in the Chinese market. Wong said his government supports Xi’s Global Development Initiative and will enhance multilateral cooperation with China to safeguard free trade, strengthen multilateralism, and promote regional stability and global prosperity.
Following the talks, both leaders witnessed the signing of multiple agreements covering the digital economy, green development, information technology, transport, food safety, emergency management, and third-party cooperation.
Earlier, Prime Minister Wong held a welcoming ceremony for Premier Li at the Parliament House.
This news story was originally published by Xinhua.