Beijing seeks to cement relations with Singapore

Chinese President Xi Jinping (R) meets with Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in Beijing, capital of China, Aug. 26, 2013.[Photo/Xinhua]

Beijing says it hopes Singapore can play a constructive role for peace and stability in the region, as it welcomes the country's prime minister who has been caught in a media storm recently for his China-related remarks.

Welcoming his Singaporean counterpart, Premier Li Keqiang told Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong that China is determined to seek peaceful development.

But the country's will to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity is unswerving, said Li, referring to territorial disputes with some neighboring countries.

Lee said in May that "China will calculate that any gains from a non-peaceful approach to territorial disputes will have to be weighed against broader implications for its reputation and standing in the world".

His remarks caused a war of words among Internet users following recent Chinese media reports.

Li said in the meeting that China has always called for talks on territorial issues by the parties involved, and any move that may complicate and magnify the situation is "undesirable".

He called on the two countries to cement a political basis for bilateral relations and to gain understanding and support from the two peoples.

Lee said Singapore appreciates China's positive role for regional peace and stability, and it supports relevant parties solving their disputes through peaceful means and negotiations. Singapore will do its part to help encourage cooperation between China and ASEAN, he said.

Analysts said Beijing wants to reduce misunderstanding and cement political trust with Singapore in addition to close economic ties.

Singapore, though small in size, is a leader in the region's development.

"Singapore weighs heavily in China's diplomacy in the region because of its political and economic strength and influence. China hopes Singapore will not make an issue out of the South China Sea disputes," said Jia Duqiang, an expert on South Asia studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

Su Hao, a professor at China Foreign Affairs University, said China and Singapore are interdependent.

Singapore has helped China with its economic and administrative management expertise, while China's rapid growth offers investment opportunities for Singapore.