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SINGAPORE : Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has said Singapore hopes to play a bridging role between China and ASEAN.
He added this is because Singapore is a Southeast Asian country that shares a deep cultural affinity with China.
In an interview with Xinhua newspaper before his upcoming visit to China, Mr Lee said the Singapore-China Free Trade Agreement was a pathfinder for the China-ASEAN FTA. It has helped to strengthen economic links between ASEAN countries and China.
On the 20th anniversary of China's relations with ASEAN, he said that this relationship is one of the most substantive among ASEAN's dialogue partnerships, and that Singapore welcomes China's growing engagement and investment in ASEAN.
As for his trip to China, Mr Lee said that he plans to observe first-hand the developments in cities in Central China to better understand the role these cities play in China's strategy to direct development from the coastal to inland regions.
He also wants to get an update on the progress of the Suzhou Industrial Park and visit the Shanghai Expo.
Mr Lee said that to mark 20 years of Sino-Singapore ties, Singapore will unveil a Deng Xiaoping commemorative marker, and do the groundbreaking for the China Cultural Centre.
Mr Lee said that Singapore wishes to participate in China's development, both to help China as well as to ride on its growth.
He also suggested that both sides should deepen their partnership in existing areas, continue to search for new areas of cooperation and encourage their youth to build lasting friendships with one another.
Mr Lee added that Singapore enjoys excellent ties with China and he is confident that both countries will build on this strong foundation and continue strengthening their bilateral ties. - CNA/ms
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