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SINGAPORE: Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao was hosted to dinner by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong at the Istana on Sunday evening where they took stock of the warm bilateral relations.
Mr Lee said Singapore's links with China should be seen in the broader context of the overall relationship in the regional grouping.
This included ASEAN, the ASEAN Plus Three and the East Asian Summit.
And Singapore, as Chair of ASEAN, looks forward to promoting a more open and inclusive framework for regional cooperation.
In his speech, Mr Lee said China's rise is a major plus in Asia and will create a favourable environment for other Asian economies to grow.
He said: "Singapore and China share many common perspectives on regional issues, even when our tactical approaches do not coincide. We want peace and stability in Asia, and believe that the best way to achieve this is to have a stable, open and prosperous China taking an active interest in the region, alongside other major powers. This is why we want China to succeed, and are happy to participate in its transformation in whatever small ways we can."
Mr Wen said: "It's the Chinese government's policy to develop collaborations that will benefit both Singapore and China. It's also the people's wish. We will work together with Singapore to strengthen cooperation, learn from each other, foster better ties and to achieve greater progress."
- CNA/so
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