State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan met in Beijing Thursday with visiting Singaporean Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong.

 

Tang said relations between the two countries were good, with mutual trust and common interests.

 

The two countries effectively cooperated in the fields of high technology, and China's western and northeastern regions, Tang said. "This cooperation has breathed new vitality into the development of bilateral ties."

 

Tang said China attached great importance to relations with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and its ten member countries, including Singapore.

 

China and the ASEAN had comprehensive and mutually beneficial cooperation.

 

The Chinese government was willing to actively forge a strategic partnership and promote a free trade zone with the ASEAN so as to improve cooperation.

 

Goh said China's development had brought opportunities to ASEAN countries, including Singapore.

 

Singapore was willing to boost cooperation in trade and economy, investment and energy and promote regional development and prosperity, he said.

 

He reiterated that Singapore would adhere to the one-China policy and oppose "Taiwan independence."

 

Goh arrived Wednesday at the invitation of the Chinese government. This is his first visit since the former Singaporean prime minister took up the post of senior minister in August 2004.

 

On Thursday, he also met with Premier Wen Jiabao and Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference Jia Qinglin.

 

Goh will also visit the resort city of Suzhou in East China's Jiangsu Province and Shanghai.

 

Singapore is China's seventh biggest trade partner with bilateral trade volume last year hitting US$33.15 billion.

 

With investment in China amounting to US$27.74 billion by the end of 2005, Singapore is China's eighth biggest investor.

 

(Xinhua News Agency April 14, 2006)