Singapore's new Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has stressed that Singapore will not change its long-held one-China policy.

Delivering his first National Day rally speech on Sunday, Lee said Singapore understands that one-China is the core interest of China.

Since its independence in 1965, Singapore has stuck to its one-China stand because it also meets with Singapore's essential interest.

The Prime Minister also stressed that Singapore firmly opposes "Taiwan independence" and if Taiwan provokes a conflict across the Taiwan Straits, Singapore will not support Taiwan.

(Xinhua News Agency August 24, 2004)