Chinese FM meets Singaporean counterpart in Beijing

Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang meets with Singaporean Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 20, 2023. (Xinhua/Yue Yuewei)

BEIJING, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang met with his Singaporean counterpart Vivian Balakrishnan in Beijing on Monday.

Qin said that China attaches great importance to bilateral ties with Singapore and the unique role Singapore plays in regional and international affairs. China stands ready to work with Singapore to implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state and to achieve new developments in bilateral relations.

Noting there are important opportunities for the integration and mutual promotion of modernization of the two countries, Qin said the two sides should seek greater synergies between each other's development strategies, advance the joint construction of a high-quality Belt and Road, and promote the upgrading of cooperation.

For his part, Balakrishnan said that since the outbreak of COVID-19, the two sides have helped each other and stuck together through thick and thin. The mutual trust between Singapore and China has been enhanced, he said, while the practical cooperation has also progressed smoothly.

Noting that the interests of the two sides are highly integrated, Balakrishnan said Singapore is full of expectations for cooperation with China in various fields, adding that Singapore will continue to uphold multilateralism and safeguard peace and prosperity together with China.

The two sides indicated that they will prepare for the next stage of high-level exchanges, agreed to accelerate the full resumption of direct flights, and stressed adherence to an open and inclusive regional cooperation architecture with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations at the center.