Xi meets Singaporean PM on ties, China-ASEAN cooperation

President Xi Jinping (L) meets with Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in Singapore, Nov 7, 2015. [Photo/Xinhua]

SINGAPORE -- Chinese President Xi Jinping and Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong met Saturday and compared notes on bilateral ties and China-ASEAN cooperation.

Speaking highly of the development of China-Singapore relations in the past 25 years, Xi said he has agreed with his Singaporean counterpart, Tony Tan Keng Yam, and Lee on building between their countries a partnership of all-round cooperation keeping with the times.

He called on China and Singapore to enhance political mutual trust, strengthen top-level guidance and upgrade practical cooperation for mutual benefits, win-win results and common development.

The two countries should launch as soon as possible their third government-to-government project based in Chongqing, a sprawling metropolis in southwestern China, Xi said.

He said China and Singapore should expand cooperation in economy, trade and investment, and actively explore mode of cooperation between the two countries' enterprises in a third market within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative.

China and Singapore have agreed to launch and conclude at an early date negotiations on an upgrade of their free trade agreement (FTA), which would inject fresh vigor into bilateral cooperation in economy and trade, Xi said.

Xi called on the two countries to tap the potential of cooperation in finance and jointly build a financial platform to support regional production capacity cooperation.