Joint Press Statement on the Visit by Deputy Prime Minister, Coordinating Minister for National Security, Minister for Home Affairs and Minister-in-Charge of the Civil Service Teo Chee Hean to the People’s Republic of China, 7 to 12 April 2015

        Deputy Prime Minister, Coordinating Minister for National Security, Minister for Home Affairs, and Minister-in-charge of the Civil Service Teo Chee Hean will visit the People’s Republic of China from 7 to 12 April 2015 at the invitation of Member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and Minister of the Organisation Department of the CPC Central Committee Zhao Leji.  DPM Teo will visit Beijing from 7 to 9 April; Jinggangshan (Jiangxi Province) from 9 to 10 April; and Shanghai from 11 to 12 April. 

        In Beijing, DPM Teo will meet Member of the CPC Politburo Standing Committee and Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli, as well as State Councillor and Minister of Public Security Guo Shengkun. 

        DPM Teo will then travel to Jinggangshan to co-chair with Minister Zhao Leji the 5^th China-Singapore Forum on Leadership at the China Executive Leadership Academy Jinggangshan (CELAJ) on 10 April.  The theme of this year’s Forum is “Fostering Consensus with Our People and Building National Unity”.  DPM Teo and Minister Zhao will deliver opening addresses at the Forum.  DPM Teo and his delegation will be hosted to a Welcome Dinner by Minister Zhao.  Secretary of the CPC Jiangxi Provincial Committee Qiang Wei will also call on DPM Teo and host lunch for the delegation.  First hosted by China in 2009, the Forum on Leadership is a strategic platform for political leaders and senior officials of Singapore and China to discuss and exchange experiences on common challenges related to leadership development.  The 4^th Forum on Leadership was held in Singapore on 26 November 2013. 

        In Shanghai, DPM Teo will attend Singapore Day on 11 April, where he will join about 5,000 Singaporeans in commemorating the 50^th anniversary of Singapore’s independence and in paying tribute to the late Mr Lee Kuan Yew.  He will also visit the Republic of Singapore Navy’s (RSN) RSS Resolution, which is making a port call at Wusong Naval Base, to interact with RSN servicemen.  While in Shanghai, DPM Teo will meet Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Secretary of CPC Shanghai Municipal Committee Han Zheng. 

        DPM Teo will be accompanied by Minister for Education Heng Swee Keat (Beijing and Jinggangshan); Minister, Prime Minister’s Office, Second Minister for the Environment and Water Resources, and Second Minister for Foreign Affairs Grace Fu (Beijing, Jinggangshan and Shanghai); Senior Minister of State for Health and Manpower Dr Amy Khor (Beijing and Jinggangshan); Minister of State for National Development and Defence Dr Maliki Osman (Jinggangshan); as well as senior officials from various Ministries and statutory boards, including four Permanent Secretaries.

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PUBLIC SERVICE DIVISION

MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS

NATIONAL POPULATION AND TALENT DIVISION

MINISTRY OF DEFENCE

SINGAPORE

6 APRIL 2015