Singapore-China ties will continue to advance with the times, says PM Lee

[ohmrlobalobayeh]

BEIJING - Singapore has been working with China at each step of its development, and will continue to ensure that the partnership advances with the times, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said in an interview published on Monday (Sept 18).

Noting that China’s transformation has been very fast-paced, Mr Lee laid out how the Singapore-China partnership at the government level has also evolved over the past three decades.

From the Suzhou Industrial Park in the early 1990s which focused on industrialisation, to the Tianjin Eco-city which emphasised sustainable development, Singapore has chosen projects which are meaningful to China and compatible with China’s own policy focus and development priorities of the time, he told Xinhuanet ahead of his three-day official visit to China starting Tuesday.

The new Chongqing Connectivity Initiative is also in this vein, with its focus on modern services such as banking and logistics, plugging into China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and its push to develop its western frontier.

He added that a memorandum of understanding that Singapore and China signed in May will spur both sides to deepen collaboration on the BRI to build ports, roads, railways and industrial parks along sea and land trade routes.

For instance, a Chinese company looking to expand into the region can “borrow Singapore’s strengths” by setting up a regional headquarters in the island Republic to take advantage of its financial centre, transportation hub, and trade and services facilities, he said.


But Mr Lee also stressed that both countries have much to learn from each other.

• OTHER HIGHLIGHTS OF PM LEE'S INTERVIEW
• CASHLESS PAYMENTS
  On digital payments, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said it has become a convenient alternative to cash for many Chinese, to the point that people now fear their mobile phone batteries running flat over not having money in their wallet. Singapore is not yet at this level, and Mr Lee hopes that China's example will inspire Singapore to move faster on this front.
  
  CHINA'S TRANSFORMATION
  Having visited China for more than 30 years, Mr Lee said he has personally witnessed a huge, national change in prosperity. The change is evident in infrastructure such as highways and railways, in telecommunications and Internet access, and also in the people's expectations and outlook. The next five to 10 years will see some challenges, but none that China cannot overcome.
  
  RELATIONS WITH ASEAN
  Whether or not trade and economic ties with Asean countries can continue to grow will depend on how the overall relationship develops, said Mr Lee. Trade and cooperation projects will come naturally if ties are good, but should they sour, even mutually beneficial cooperation will take a hit. As Asean chair, Singapore will do its best to promote Asean-China ties, he said.

Besides the training of officials, he cited the Singapore-China Forum on Leadership and the Singapore-China Social Governance Forum as two ongoing platforms that bring officials together to exchange views and experiences, and said these “are never a one-way flow”.

China’s tremendous growth means that many of its brands and companies such as Taobao, WeChat and Huawei today possess cutting-edge technology that is among the world’s best, and Mr Lee said he had personally witnessed how, over the past 30 years, China’s prosperity had transformed all of its cities and provinces.

This “national level transformation” has touched many aspects of Chinese society, from highways to telecommunications networks, and has also changed people’s lives and outlook, he added.

He cited the cashless payments revolution as one area in which China has moved faster and gone further than any other country, noting that for many Chinese today an empty wallet is less a problem than a phone that has gone flat.

Mr Lee said he had shared the Chinese example in his National Day Rally speech in the hope that it will spur Singapore to do better in its push to become a Smart Nation.

Asked about a key upcoming tender for the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore high-speed rail project, Mr Lee said he hopes to see a Chinese proposal, given China’s wealth of expertise and technology accrued in building its own high-speed rail network over the past decade.

China ties a priority when Singapore is Asean chair: PM Lee[/paste:font]
Mr Lee said he is sure the Chinese proposal would be of a high quality, and that it would be given “objective and serious consideration”.

On his trip, Mr Lee will meet President Xi Jinping, Premier Li Keqiang, who will host a welcome ceremony and dinner banquet in his honour, and top legislator Zhang Dejiang.

He will also travel to Xiamen to meet top officials there, and visit ST Aerospace Technologies (Xiamen) Company and the Fujian (Xiamen)-Singapore Friendship Polyclinic, the first polyclinic jointly set up by Singapore and China in 2011, and attend a commemorative event to mark the completion of the refurbishment of the facade of the OCBC Building.

Accompanying PM Lee are Mrs Lee, Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen, Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan, Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office Chan Chun Sing and Parliamentary Secretary Amrin Amin.

Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean will be Acting Prime Minister while Mr Lee is away.

Details of the convo between the PM and the Xinhua interviewer(in Chinese):

http://www.pmo.gov.sg/newsroom/interview-pm-lee-hsien-loong-xinhuanet

 

[ohmrlobalobayeh]

Singapore
Singapore, China sign MOU for Belt and Road Initiative dispute mediation

Read more at http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news...-for-belt-and-road-initiative-dispute-9226612

Singapore International Mediation Centre board member Ng Chai Ngee (left, seated) and China Council for the Promotion of International Trade Commercial Legal Services Center director-general Li Jianning signing the MOU. (Photo: Ministry of Law)

SINGAPORE: The Singapore International Mediation Centre and the Mediation Center of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade / China Chamber of International Commerce on Tuesday (Sep 19) signed a Memorandum of Understanding to work together to help businesses resolve disputes that may arise under China's Belt and Road Initiative.

China's Belt and Road Initiative aims to facilitate trade and investment between China and other countries through infrastructure investment.

Under Tuesday's agreement, the two centres will serve Singapore and Chinese companies investing in either country as well as companies investing in other markets under the initiative, Singapore's Ministry of Law and the Singapore International Mediation Centre said in a joint statement.

They will promote international commercial mediation through lectures and conferences and also encourage the use of each other's mediators and services. The two will also recommend the use of mediation facilities at Maxwell Chambers in Singapore and the China Chamber of International Commerce building in Beijing.

The agreement was signed at the International Mediation Summit in Hangzhou, China.

Speaking at the summit's opening ceremony, Deputy Secretary of Singapore's Ministry of Law Han Kok Juan said that Tuesday's agreement was a "building block" towards a framework for resolving disputes that may arise under the Belt and Road Initiative based on rule of law.

 

[AndrewJin]

Good to see two countries with Chinese majority deeply cooperate.

 

[ohmrlobalobayeh]

PM Lee, Chinese counterpart reaffirm warms ties between their countries

PM Lee Hsien Loong, who is on a 3-day official visit to China, was given an official welcome by his Chinese counterpart Li Keqiang at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Tuesday. Photo: Jason Quah/TODAY

BY
KELLY NG IN BEIJING
PUBLISHED: 5:12 PM, SEPTEMBER 19, 2017
UPDATED: 9:57 PM, SEPTEMBER 19, 2017

BEIJING — Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and his Chinese counterpart Li Keqiang reaffirmed the warm and longstanding friendship between their two countries during a meeting on Tuesday (Sept 19).

During their talks, both leaders reviewed the extensive co-operation between the two countries, and welcomed Singapore's support of China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said in a statement after the 45-minute meeting - which took place just weeks before the ruling Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) 19th Party Congress.


The timing of Mr Lee's official visit - where he will also meet President Xi Jinping - holds "important political significance", a senior Chinese diplomat told the media after Tuesday's meeting.

The five-yearly congress is closely watched for leadership reshuffles and renewals at the top of the CCP, and ensuing policy changes.

The PMO statement added: "(Both leaders) welcomed the good progress made in the negotiations for the upgrade of the China-Singapore Free Trade Agreement, and looked forward to its expeditious conclusion.

"PM Lee and Premier Li also discussed the potential for deepening bilateral ties through new areas of co-operation, such as in financial and judicial and legal co-operation."

After a welcome ceremony outside the Great Hall of the People on Tuesday, the first day of the Singapore leader's official three-day visit to China, Mr Lee thanked his host for the warm welcome and said he was very happy to be back in Beijing.

"I'm very grateful for your attention to our bilateral relationship, and also for the opportunity for us to discuss how we can work together in the regional context and with ASEAN," Mr Lee said.

"Singapore is the coordinator for ASEAN and China relations currently. Next year, we will be the ASEAN chairman, and we hope that in these capacities we can make a contribution towards bringing ASEAN and China closer together," he added.

Echoing Mr Lee's remarks, the Chinese Premier said he hoped Singapore's chairmanship of the Association of South-east Asian Nations (ASEAN) will "inject new vitality" into Sino-Singapore and China-ASEAN relations.

Senior diplomat Bai Tian told the media later that China holds Sino-Singapore relations "in high regard", as evidenced by the number of high-level ministerial meetings held between both countries this year.

"We are confident of the deepening ties between China and Singapore, and believe that both countries will work to sustain these relations in the future," said Mr Bai, vice-director of the Chinese Foreign Ministry's Asia department.

A commentary in English published by the official Xinhua news agency also lauded ties between China and Singapore, noting that both countries have "a long tradition of close co-operation ... and will find opportunities to upgrade their relationship, which will benefit the region and beyond".

The commentary cited the example of how both countries are staunch supporters of free trade in the face of rising protectionist sentiments around the world.

"Looking ahead, for China and Singapore, there is much more to come," the Xinhua commentary added.

Mr Lee last visited China in September 2016, when he travelled to south-western Chongqing to follow up on the Chongqing Connectivity Initiative (CCI), and attend the G20 Leaders' Meeting in Hangzhou.

In Tuesday's meeting, Mr Lee and the Chinese Premier noted that the CCI, the third government-to-government project following the Suzhou Industrial Park and the Tianjin Eco-city, had the potential to support the BRI, and to play a "demonstrative role" in the development of western China, the PMO statement said.

The BRI is an ambitious Chinese undertaking to expand links between Asia, Africa, Europe and beyond, underpinned by billions of dollars in infrastructure investment.

Singapore is looking to collaborate with China on the mega project in areas such as infrastructure connectivity, financing, and third-party collaboration that could include the training of officials in countries along the "Belt and Road".

Both leaders also discussed the Southern Transport Corridor, a new trade route between western China and South-east Asia.

On the international front, they expressed their "deep concern" over the heightening tensions on the Korean Peninsula as a result of Pyongyang's nuclear programme.

Mr Lee is accompanied on his trip by his wife Ho Ching, Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen, Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan, Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat, Minister in Prime Minister's Office Chan Chun Sing, Parliamentary Secretary (Home Affairs and Health) Amrin Amin, as well as officials from various ministries and agencies.

On Wednesday morning, Mr Lee will meet with Mr Wang Qishan, China's top graft-buster and a member of the Politburo Standing Committee, before visiting SenseTime, a Chinese start-up focused on artificial intelligence and deep learning technology.

In the afternoon, he will hold separate talks with President Xi and Mr Zhang Dejiang, chairman of the National People's Congress, the Chinese legislature.

On Thursday, Mr Lee will meet and have lunch in Xiamen with the Fujian party secretary You Quan. When in Xiamen, Mr Lee will visit the Fujian (Xiamen)-Singapore friendship polyclinic, the first polyclinic jointly established by Singapore and China, as well as the OCBC Building and ST Aerospace Technologies (Xiamen).


China places great importance on ties with Singapore: Premier Li Keqiang

BEIJING - Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Tuesday (Sept 19) said China places great importance on bilateral ties with Singapore as he met Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong at the start of Mr Lee's three-day official visit to China.

Premier Li said the relationship between Singapore and China is built on a foundation of mutual respect and is one of equal footing, and this has been to the benefit of people of both countries.

He made the comments at the beginning of their meeting at Beijing's Great Hall of the People after holding an official welcome ceremony for Mr Lee and hosting him and the Singapore delegation to a banquet.

For his part, Mr Lee said he was grateful for Mr Li's attention to bilateral ties, and also for the opportunity for both sides to discuss how to work together for the region and for Asean.

Mr Lee said Singapore is currently the Country Coordinator for Asean-China relations, and will be Asean chair next year. He said that he hopes Singapore, in these capacities, can make a contribution to bring Asean and China closer together.

During their meeting, Mr Lee and Mr Li reaffirmed the warm and longstanding friendship between Singapore and China and welcomed the frequent high-level interactions between the leaders of the two countries in recent months, the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said.

They also reviewed the extensive and substantive bilateral cooperation between Singapore and China, especially in the area of economic and financial cooperation, the PMO said. In particular, they welcomed the good progress made in the negotiations for the upgrade of the China-Singapore Free Trade Agreement and discussed the potential for deepening bilateral ties through new areas of cooperation, such as in financial, and judicial and legal cooperation.

Premier Li also welcomed Singapore's support of the Belt and Road Initiative, which is based on the three platforms of infrastructure connectivity, financial connectivity and services, and third party collaboration. This also includes the training of officials in countries along the Belt and Road. In particular, the two leaders noted the potential of the Chongqing Connectivity Initiative, Singapore's third government-to-government project, to support the Belt and Road Initiative. They also welcomed the role of the Southern Transport Corridor in linking the Silk Road Economic Belt with the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road.

Both men also discussed regional developments and expressed their deep concern over the heightening tensions on the Korean Peninsula.

During their meeting, they also touched on Asean-China relations, with PM Lee and Premier Li affirming the progress made in ties between Asean and China during Singapore's tenure as Country Coordinator for the Asean-China dialogue relations. Premier Li also expressed support for Singapore's Asean chairmanship next year, and PM Lee said Singapore would promote stronger Asean-China cooperation during its chairmanship.

The PMO added that Premier Li accepted PM Lee's invitation to visit Singapore.

Both leaders last had a bilateral meeting in September 2016, on the sidelines of the Asean Summit in the Laotian capital of Vientiane.

The Singapore leader, who arrived in Beijing earlier on Tuesday, will also visit Xiamen in south-eastern Fujian province.

After his arrival, Mr Lee had shared on Facebook that he looked forward to meeting Chinese President Xi Jinping and other top Chinese officials.

"Look forward to meeting President Xi Jinping, Premier Li Keqiang, National People's Congress Chairman Zhang Dejiang, and Central Commission for Discipline Inspection Secretary Wang Qishan later," he wrote.

"I've made annual trips to China in recent years - except in 2015, when President Xi made a State Visit to Singapore. Our Ministers also often visit China, and it's good to see our series of exchanges continue. Hope to discuss existing and new areas of cooperation that will benefit both our countries."

He also tweeted about the trip.




Follow
Lee Hsien Loong

✔@leehsienloong
In Beijing now. Look fwd to mtg Pres Xi Jinping, Premier Li Keqiang, & Chairman Zhang Dejiang later. – LHL

http://bit.ly/2xaEvVT

3:03 PM - Sep 19, 2017

• 
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In Xiamen, Mr Lee will meet top officials there and visit ST Aerospace Technologies (Xiamen) Company, and the Fujian (Xiamen)-Singapore Friendship Polyclinic, the first polyclinic jointly set up by Singapore and China in 2011, and attend a commemorative event to mark the completion of the refurbishment of the facade of the OCBC Building.

Mr Lee is accompanied on this visit by Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen, Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan, Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat, Minister in the Prime Minister's Office Chan Chun Sing, and Parliament Secretary for Home Affairs and Health Amrin Amin, as well as other Singapore officials.

 

[AndrewJin]

What will Chongqing be like after these projects?

 

[terranMarine]

Lots of things to see in Chongqing, stunning video

 

[GeraltofRivia]

PM Lee's visit to China is a clear demonstration of the agile, pragmatic and intellectual approach that has underpined full spectrum ofvSingapore's governance affair. Singapore played important role in early phase of economical reform by providing capital and technology. It also provided a excellent example of a mixture of capitalism market and Confucian governance, which was invaluable in the China's search of development pathway.

Personally I fully expect Singapore to play a greater role in the grand Road and Belt Initiative by leveraging its world leading financial and human capital.

 

[8888888888888]

With USA turning inwards and getting out of the TTP, Singapore would have to go to China.

 

[djsjs]

The next 10 years will be the decade of Singapore's rapid decline. with the construction of the high-speed rail and the opening of the new channel, Singapore will lose advantage.The O2O Economy will be rapidly developing in the next 10 years!In this respect, Singapore has no advantage.

 

[Tang_BJ]

The next 10 years will be the decade of Singapore's rapid decline. with the construction of the high-speed rail and the opening of the new channel, Singapore will lose advantage.The O2O Economy will be rapidly developing in the next 10 years!In this respect, Singapore has no advantage.

which channel？

 

[djsjs]

which channel？

Maybe no new channel built.it depends on if singapore is going on to be dog of US

 

[8888888888888]

That channel does not solve the ships coming from the countries south of the channel. Like Indonesia and Australia which China is importing heavily. Building a rail line from China to Singapore for those ships seem like a good idea.