Wang Yi Holds Talks with Singaporean Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan

On March 31, 2021, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi held talks with Singaporean Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan in Nanping City, Fujian Province.

Wang Yi welcomed Vivian to take China as his first visit outside the ASEAN region since the COVID-19 crisis, and expressed China-Singapore relations have long been forward-looking and demonstrative. Last year marked the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Singapore. The telephone call between President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong provided strategic guidance for the bilateral relations that maintained steady progress despite the impact of the pandemic. At present, the international and regional situation is undergoing fast changes. China wishes to work with Singapore to tap into the development trajectory of the times, strengthen strategic communication, deepen pragmatic cooperation, and jointly maintain regional peace and stability and improve global governance, sending a positive signal about our commitment to peace and development to the world.

Wang Yi said, both sides should maintain high-level exchanges and contact, strengthen inter-party cooperation and governance experience sharing, jointly address the challenges caused by the ongoing pandemic, and tap new cooperation in vaccinations and mutual recognition of health codes. The two countries should work together to oppose "vaccine nationalism" and prevent "vaccine divide". Both sides should promote high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, strengthen the construction of the New International Land-Sea Corridor, connect this corridor to the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation, and prioritize the cooperation in areas such as biomedicine, artificial intelligence and digital finance.

Wang Yi said, both sides should jointly upgrade the level of China-ASEAN relations. China stands ready to work with the ASEAN countries, including Singapore, to hold commemorative events to mark the 30th anniversary of China-ASEAN dialogue relations, put into effect the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) at an early date, and deepen cooperation in connectivity, digital economy, and industrial and supply chains. China firmly supports the ASEAN-centered regional cooperation framework, and accelerates the building of the East Asian Community.

Wang Yi pointed out, Myanmar is China's "pauk-phaw" brother connected by the same mountains and rivers, and an important member of the ASEAN family. China is pleased to see and support the ASEAN's efforts to maintain its non-interference principle and play a positive role in promoting the stability in Myanmar through the "ASEAN approach".

Vivian congratulated on the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China, praised China's remarkable achievements in human history, and lauded China's complete victory in poverty eradication. Vivian said, last year marked the 30th anniversary of the establishment of the diplomatic ties between Singapore and China, and the two countries assisted each other at the crucial moment of the fight against the pandemic, demonstrating the high level of the bilateral relations. Singapore wishes to deepen mutual beneficial cooperation with China in various fields, and further elevate their bilateral ties. Both countries secure robust recovery from the pandemic. Singapore welcomes Chinese proposal of mutual recognition of health certificates for increasing people-to-people exchanges. Both sides jointly push for the signing of RCEP, sending the clear signal of opposing protectionism, and promoting trade liberalization and regional economic integration. Singapore is willing to exchange views with China on upgrading the ASEAN-China Free Trade Agreement, and elevating the cooperation between ASEAN and China. Singapore hopes that Myanmar will cease violence, hold dialogues and achieve reconciliation. The resolution of Myanmar issue should respect the will of Myanmar people.

The two sides also held an in-depth exchange of views on international and regional issues of common concern. Both hold the view that the world should be more multi-polar and international relations more democratic.