Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong (right) meets with visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Singapore, Aug 11, 2023. (PHOTO / XINHUA)

SINGAPORE - Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong met with visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Friday, with both sides pledging to advance bilateral friendship and cooperation.

Wang, who is also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, is in the city-state for a two-day visit, the first leg of his three-nation tour which also takes him to Malaysia and Cambodia.

Noting that the two countries elevated relations to an all-round high-quality future-oriented partnership during Lee's visit to Beijing in March which has charted the course for future development of bilateral ties, Wang in the meeting expressed his confidence about the prospect of bilateral cooperation.

Highlighting Singapore has used oriental values to advance its modernization process and find its own unique path of successful development, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi voiced China's support for Singapore's continued growth and prosperity in accordance with the will of its people

Under the strategic guidance of the two countries' leaders, China-Singapore relations will continue to take the lead for China in developing its relations with neighborhood countries, Wang said.

Highlighting Singapore has used oriental values to advance its modernization process and find its own unique path of successful development, Wang voiced China's support for Singapore's continued growth and prosperity in accordance with the will of its people.

Lee pledged to carry on Singapore-China friendship further, which he said enjoys a solid foundation built by older-generation leaderships of the two countries.

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The prime minister said the Singapore side thinks highly of China's determination and efforts to push its modernization, and will jointly work to constantly move forward bilateral cooperation, opening a new chapter for future relations.

He said a leading role of major countries is anticipated in today's agitated world to seek mutual benefit and win-win results, and Singapore supports the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in deepening cooperation with China and jointly safeguarding regional peace, stability and development.

Wang stressed that China has also found a path of development which suits its national conditions.

China's development is the growth of peaceful forces and the enhancement of stabilizing factors, which will bring lasting benefits and development opportunities to all countries in the world, especially the neighborhood countries, said the Chinese foreign minister.

Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong (right) meets with visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Singapore, Aug 11, 2023. (PHOTO / XINHUA)

He said the United States, out of its motive to maintain unipolar hegemony, is unwilling to see the development and revitalization of China and other emerging countries.

Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said the Singapore side thinks highly of China's determination and efforts to push its modernization, and will jointly work to constantly move forward bilateral cooperation, opening a new chapter for future relations

On the one hand, it condones and supports the "Taiwan independence" forces relying on the United States to seek the end, trying to cross China's red lines; on the other hand, it tears away the pretense of fair competition and coerces other countries into unilateral protectionism against China, Wang said.

He added that these perverse practices will only damage its own credibility, laying bare the fact that the United States has become the biggest destabilizing factor in the world.

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Expand cooperation to advance relations

Also on Friday, Wang met with Singaporean Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong. They agreed during a meeting to tap new areas of cooperation to chart a new course for bilateral relations.

Noting that China-Singapore relations maintain stability and continuity, show vitality and play a demonstrative role, Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, stressed that the bilateral cooperation conforms to the current situation and helps each other boost development.

China and Singapore elevated bilateral ties to an all-round high-quality future-oriented partnership this year, fully demonstrating the high level of mutually beneficial cooperation, Wang said.

Singaporean Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong (right) meets with visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Singapore, Aug 11, 2023. (PHOTO / XINHUA)

"Under the strategic guidance of the leaders of our two countries, we will work with the Singaporean side to inherit the fine traditions, expand new areas of cooperation, and chart a new course for bilateral relations," Wang said.

China and Singapore elevated bilateral ties to an all-round high-quality future-oriented partnership this year, fully demonstrating the high level of mutually beneficial cooperation, Wang said

Wang also called on Lawrence Wong, the leader of Singapore's fourth-generation leadership team, to make new contributions to bilateral relations.

Noting that the current world is full of chaos, Wang stressed the only right way to jointly uphold the international system with the United Nations at its core and the international order based on international law.

"Major countries should take a lead in the course," Wang said.

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"China-Singapore relations are conducive for regional peace, stability and development. We are willing to strengthen coordination in multilateral affairs with the Singaporean side under the newly-elevated bilateral relations," Wang said.

China is committed to realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation by comprehensively promoting Chinese-style modernization, which will bring new opportunities to countries within the region including Singapore, Wang stressed.

Singaporean Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong noted that the upgrading of Singapore-China relations has bumped new energy into bilateral cooperation, and the two countries have achieved fruitful results in jointly building the Belt and Road Initiative

China will work with ASEAN members to advance the five proposals on building a shared home together and push forward ASEAN-China Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with continuous and steady efforts, Wang noted, saying he hopes that Singapore will contribute more to building a China-ASEAN community with a shared future.

For his part, Wong noted that the upgrading of Singapore-China relations has bumped new energy into bilateral cooperation, and the two countries have achieved fruitful results in jointly building the Belt and Road Initiative.

Singapore will actively participate in China's modernization, and he is looking forward to visiting China and jointly chairing the meeting of the bilateral cooperation mechanism, said Wong.

Singapore appreciates China's important role in promoting regional sustainable development and maintaining stability, he said, adding that Singapore welcomes and supports China's efforts to join the Digital Economy Partnership Agreement and the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership.

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Singapore opposes jungle rules and power politics. It will jointly maintain regional peace and stability, uphold the World Trade Organization rules, and maintain a fair, open, and inclusive cooperation framework, Wong stressed.