BEIJING — Vice-Premier Han Zheng met with Singaporean Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat in Beijing on May 22, pledging to strengthen bilateral ties.

Han, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said China attaches great importance to developing its relations with Singapore and is willing to advance bilateral ties and pragmatic cooperation in all fields to a new high.

As next year marks the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Singapore, Han voiced his hope that the two sides will seize the opportunity to advance their relations in the new era.

Han also called for joint efforts in pushing forward high-quality building of the Belt and Road, facilitating the construction of a new land-sea transit route, exploring cooperation in the third-party market and deepening exchanges in the construction of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, so as to promote common development of the region and countries along the Belt and Road.

Vice-Premier Han Zheng, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, meets with Singaporean Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat in Beijing, capital of China, May 22, 2019.[Photo/Xinhua]

Heng said the Singaporean side stands ready to work with China to maintain close high-level exchanges, boost pragmatic cooperation and jointly promote construction under the Belt and Road Initiative.