Joint Press Statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Trade and Industry and Ministry of National Development on the Official Visit of Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli of the People’s Republic of China, 12 to 14 October 2015

        Member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China and Vice Premier of the State Council of the People’s Republic of China Zhang Gaoli will make an official visit to Singapore from 12 to 14 October 2015 at the invitation of Deputy Prime Minister and Coordinating Minister for National Security Teo Chee Hean.  DPM Teo and Vice Premier Zhang will co-chair the 12th Joint Council for Bilateral Cooperation (JCBC), 17th China-Singapore Suzhou Industrial Park (SIP) Joint Steering Council (JSC) and 8th Sino-Singapore Tianjin Eco-city (SSTEC) JSC Meetings on 13 October 2015.

        DPM Teo will host a welcome dinner for Vice Premier Zhang on 12 October 2015.  The JCBC Meeting will discuss existing and new areas of bilateral cooperation, including the proposed third Government-to-Government project in China’s western region and the upgrade of the China-Singapore Free Trade Agreement.  The SIP and SSTEC JSC Meetings will review the progress of these two Government-to-Government projects and discuss the directions for future development.  DPM Teo and Vice Premier Zhang will also jointly witness the signing of several bilateral agreements after the JCBC and JSC Meetings.

        During his visit, Vice Premier Zhang will call on President Tony Tan Keng Yam, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and meet with Deputy Prime Minister and Coordinating Minister for Economic and Social Policies Tharman Shanmugaratnam.  Vice Premier Zhang will also visit Changi Airport to understand how Singapore has positioned itself as a leading international air hub.

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MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS

MINISTRY OF TRADE AND INDUSTRY

MINISTRY OF NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

SINGAPORE

11 OCTOBER 2015