Premier Wen Jiabao said in Singapore Monday that China attaches great importance to its relations with Singapore and is willing to further strengthen and broaden the bilateral ties.

Currently, the development of Asia is facing both opportunities and challenges, and peace and development as well as cooperation and win-win have become a trend, which are also the common wishes of nations in the region, Wen said while meeting with Singapore President S.R. Nathan.

China is dedicated to develop friendly relations with Asian countries and become a trustworthy, reliable and good neighbor, good friend and good partner to Asian nations, Wen added.

Nathan said the cooperation between the two countries is dynamic and develops smoothly.

China's adherence to the path of peaceful development and foreign policy of developing friendship with neighbors will have active impact on the region and the world at large, he added.

Singapore is willing to strengthen contacts and coordination with China in the regional cooperation as well as to promote peace, stability and common development in the region, Nathan said.

While meeting with Singapore Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew, Wen said Lee is the founder of the relations between China and Singapore.

Lee has expressed that the development of China is an opportunity and is opposed to "Taiwan independence," which has been appreciated by China, Wen noted.

Lee said Singapore and China enjoy long-term strategic and cooperative relations. No matter what happens in the world, it is Singapore's long-term goal to develop friendly cooperation with China and it will not change.

Any activities for "Taiwan independence" including the referendum on entering the United Nations under the name of Taiwan will jeopardize the peace and stability in the region and the world as a whole. The international community must show its firm and definite opposition to it, Lee stressed.

The two sides also exchanged views on other issues of common concern.

(Xinhua News Agency November 19, 2007)