Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong (L) and Lianhe Zaobao's Editor Goh Sin Teck attend the closing plenary session of the FutureChina Global Forum in Singapore, on July 21, 2015. (Photo: Xinhua/Then Chih Wey)
Singapore is willing to enhance cooperation with China, said Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Tuesday at the closing plenary of FutureChina Global Forum.
Lee said bilateral relations between Singapore and China has deepened as the two countries celebrate the 25th anniversary of diplomatic relations this year. The two sides have kept close cooperation in areas such as regional cooperation, politics, economy, tourism, as well as academic exchanges.
The Singaporean prime minister also said that Singapore actively cooperates with China on a new intergovernmental project in West China.
Singapore signed the bilateral free-trade agreement with China in October, 2008, and the city state is willing to upgrade the existing agreement as China has signed many free-trade agreements with other countries in the past few years, Lee said, adding negotiations have already started.
On China's "Belt and Road" initiative, Lee expected the initiative to drive the development in Asia. As China is willing to establish friendly relations with its neighboring countries, Lee expressed his hope that more projects can be involved in the initiative so as to propel cooperation systematically.
Lee on Tuesday attended the closing plenary of the two-day forum, which kicked off in Singapore on Monday. Into its sixth edition this year, FutureChina Global Forum has brought industry leaders and experts together to address topics with their insights on China's latest developments under the theme of "Opportunities Amidst China's Rebalancing."