SINGAPORE, May 16 -- Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said on Tuesday that Singapore, as a coordinator of China-ASEAN ties, will actively promote the development of ASEAN-China relations.
Lee made the remarks here when meeting with senior official of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Zhao Leji. He also congratulated China on the success of the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation held in Beijing from May 14 to 15.
Zhao, a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and head of the CPC Central Committee's Organization Department, said China attaches importance to its relations with Singapore.
China stands ready to boost cooperation with Singapore in various fields for the further growth of the bilateral ties, he said, hoping that Singapore will actively play its role of the coordinator so as to jointly uphold regional peace, stability and prosperity.
Zhao also noted that the CPC cherishes the friendly relations with Singapore's ruling People's Action Party (PAP), saying the CPC would like to enhance exchanges with the PAP and learn from each other in governance so as to better benefit the peoples of the two countries.
Lee Hsien Loong, for his part, said Singapore and China are important partners of cooperation with a wide range of shared interests, vowing closer friendly contacts between the two parties.
Lee also hoped for Singapore to get further involved in the Belt and Road construction.
Proposed by China in 2013, the Belt and Road Initiative refers to the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, aiming at building a trade and infrastructure network connecting Asia with Europe and Africa along the ancient trade routes of Silk Road.
During his stay in Singapore, Zhao also met separately with Singapore's Deputy Prime Minister and Coordinating Minister for National Security Teo Chee Hean and Singapore's Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong, and attended the opening ceremony of the China-Singapore Forum on Leadership.
ASEAN refers to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, which groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.