MFA Press Statement: Bilateral Meeting between Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong and Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao in Tianjin, People’s Republic Of China, On 9 May 2012

Emeritus Senior Minister (ESM) Goh Chok Tong met Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao in Tianjin on the sidelines of the 30th Annual Plenary Meeting of the InterAction Council this afternoon.

ESM and Premier Wen reviewed the close bilateral cooperation between China and Singapore. In particular, both leaders agreed that good progress had been achieved in the Tianjin Eco-City, Suzhou Industrial Park and bilateral financial cooperation. Both leaders noted the rapid growth of the Tianjin Eco-city over the past few years, and the significance of the Tianjin Eco-city project in demonstrating how sustainable economic development can be achieved in China. They also noted that financial cooperation had become a “new bright spot” in bilateral relations since this issue was discussed during Premier Wen’s meeting with ESM in April 2011, and how cooperation in this area could boost trade and investment between the two countries.

ESM and Premier Wen agreed that there is still significant scope to expand bilateral cooperation. In particular, Singapore and China should continue sharing experiences on how each country managed its development challenges. In this context, both leaders noted that the 3rd Singapore-China Forum on Leadership – led by Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean on the Singapore side and Minister of the Organisation Department of the Chinese Communist Party Central Committee Li Yuanchao on the Chinese side – was held in Beijing today, and agreed that this would be a useful platform to enhance bilateral engagement and the sharing of experiences. Premier Wen also briefed ESM on how China is tackling its development and structural challenges.

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MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
SINGAPORE
9 MAY 2012