Singapore is an important cooperation partner of China, and China is ready to push forward the relationship with Singapore in a sustainable, healthy and stable manner, Premier Wen Jiabao said on Monday.

 

Singapore is China's biggest trading partner among the 10 ASEAN members, and the two countries have carried out fruitful cooperation in recent years, Wen told Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, who is now here to attend the commemorative summit marking the 15th anniversary of China-ASEAN Dialogue Relations.

 

Wen hoped that the China-Singapore cooperation project in the Suzhou Industrial Park would be further pushed forward, and that Singapore would take an active part in the economic cooperation in China's coastal and inland areas.

 

Lee said substantial outcomes had yielded in the development of Singapore-China relations. He expressed sincere thanks for the Chinese side's support to the Singapore-China cooperation projects in the Suzhou Industrial Park.

 

Singapore is willing to expand bilateral cooperation with China and participate actively in China's economic development, he added.

 

Lee also hoped to step up cooperation with China to fight pirates and protect maritime security.

 

Lee arrived in Nanning, capital of China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, for the commemorative summit. He will also attend the third China-ASEAN Expo to be opened on Tuesday.

 

Since China established diplomatic relations with Singapore in October 1990, bilateral relations have progressed rapidly. The two-way trade volume between the two sides amounted to US$33.15 billion in 2005.

 

(Xinhua News Agency October 30, 2006)