Call by DPM Tharman Shanmugaratnam on Chinese Premier Li Keqiang in Dalian, China

Deputy Prime Minister and Coordinating Minister for Economic and Social Policies Tharman Shanmugaratnam called on Chinese Premier Li Keqiang this afternoon on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum Summer Davos, Dalian.  DPM conveyed the Singapore people’s and leaders’ concern to those affected by the recent landslide in Sichuan.  Premier Li thanked DPM for Singapore’s expressions of concern. 

On bilateral relations, DPM said that Singapore took a long-term view of Singapore-China relations.  DPM and Premier Li agreed that in the next phase of Singapore-China ties, we could strengthen cooperation in three areas, namely:

(i) the Belt and Road initiative, including through the Chongqing Connectivity Initiative, building a financial support platform for regional projects and joint training for officials from Belt and Road countries;
(ii) promoting economic integration through the expeditious conclusion of the China-Singapore Free Trade Agreement upgrade and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, which will demonstrate our joint commitment to globalisation; and
(iii) continuing to work closely together to promote even stronger ASEAN-China relations under Singapore’s coordinatorship of ASEAN-China Dialogue Relations and as Singapore assumes the role of ASEAN Chair next year.

DPM conveyed PM’s invitation for Premier Li to make an official visit to Singapore.  Premier Li accepted and said that he looked forward to doing so. 

PRIME MINISTER'S OFFICE
SINGAPORE
27 JUNE 2017