MFA Press Statement: Official Visit By Deputy Prime Minister, Coordinating Minister For National Security And Minister For Home Affairs Teo Chee Hean To Beijing

        Deputy Prime Minister, Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs Teo Chee Hean visited Beijing on 28 October 2014 after co-chairing the 11^th Joint Council for Bilateral Cooperation, 16^th China-Singapore Suzhou Industrial Park (SIP) Joint Steering Council and 7^th Sino-Singapore Tianjin Eco-city (SSTEC) Joint Steering Council meetings with Member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli on 27 October in Suzhou. 

        DPM Teo met and was hosted to dinner by Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission General Fan Changlong.  They noted the excellent bilateral relations, including growing defence exchanges between the two sides, underpinned by regular exchange of high level visits.  They also discussed regional and global issues of common interest and the importance of maintaining peace and stability in the region.

        DPM Teo also met State Councillor Yang Jiechi this afternoon.  Both sides reaffirmed the substantive relations and multi-faceted cooperation between our two countries, including the significant progress made on the SIP and the SSTEC and the current discussion between the two sides on the third Government-to-Government project in China’s Western region.  They also noted the substantive cooperation between the two sides in the area of financial services.  DPM Teo and State Councillor Yang discussed the 25^th anniversary of our diplomatic relations and looked forward to the exchange of State Visits by President Tony Tan and President Xi Jinping, and other commemorative events next year.  They also exchanged views on regional developments, including ASEAN-China relations.

        Separately, DPM Teo met former Vice Premier Li Lanqing to thank him for his significant contributions to Singapore-China relations and the development of the SIP, which marked its 20^th anniversary this year.

        DPM Teo was accompanied by Minister for Social and Family Development and Second Minister for Defence Chan Chun Sing, as well as senior officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 

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MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS

SINGAPORE

28 OCTOBER 2014