BEIJING, July 3 -- China's top political advisor Yu Zhengsheng met with Singaporean President Tony Tan Keng Yam on Friday, calling for a strengthening of their 25-year-old relationship.

Yu, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), called China and Singapore important partners.

He applauded China-Singapore collaboration, including flagship projects like the Suzhou Industrial Park and the Tianjin Eco-City.

The countries' many people-to-people exchanges have seen friendships between Chinese and Singaporeans deepen, according to Yu.

China would like to work with Singapore to ensure their relationship yields more substantive results and benefit the two peoples, Yu said.

Singapore would like to work with China to combine their development strategies and seek mutually beneficial cooperation, said Tan, who is on his first state visit to China since he assumed the presidency in 2011.

Yu and Tan also attended a reception commemorating the 25th anniversary of the establishment of China-Singapore diplomatic ties, with Yu calling on the two countries to build on past successes to make fresh progress.

Later on Friday, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang will separately consult with Tan, who will conclude his six-day China tour on Saturday.