MFA Press Statement: President Tony Tan Keng Yam’s State Visit to the People’s Republic of China

        President Tony Tan Keng Yam is visiting the People’s Republic of China from 29 June to 4 July at the invitation of PRC President Xi Jinping on the occasion of the 25^th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Singapore and China. 

       On 1 July, President Tan made a trip to Tianjin.  He met with and was hosted to lunch by Tianjin Acting Party Secretary and Mayor Huang Xingguo.  They reaffirmed Singapore’s close ties with China and Tianjin, as well as both sides’ strong commitment towards the Sino-Singapore Tianjin Eco-City (SSTEC), the second Government-to-Government project between the two countries.  During the visit to the SSTEC, President Tan was briefed on its latest developments and officiated the opening of the Low Carbon Living Lab, the first building to receive the Building and Construction Authority’s (BCA) Green Mark Platinum Award in a temperate zone and in China.  President Tan also met a group of Singaporeans residing in Tianjin during his visit to the SSTEC.

        President Tan was conferred an Honorary Doctorate by Nankai University in Tianjin in recognition of his contributions to Singapore-China relations.  Nankai University is the alma mater of former PRC Premier Zhou Enlai.  In the acceptance speech, President Tan stressed that bilateral relations between Singapore and China were broad, deep and multi-faceted.  During the subsequent Question and Answer session, President Tan shared Singapore’s urbanisation experiences and highlighted the important role played by the late Mr Lee Kuan Yew and Mr Deng Xiaoping in laying the foundation for successive leaders from both sides to raise bilateral ties to new heights.

        President Tan will be in Beijing from 2 to 3 July and is scheduled to meet President Xi Jinping and other Chinese leaders.

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MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS

SINGAPORE

1 JULY 2015