Singapore and China’s cooperation is built on the trust and understanding developed over 35 years of diplomatic ties, Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong said, describing the partnership as one that continues to evolve by identifying shared interests despite differing priorities.
“It’s this whole journey of working together, growing together, developing together, and building trust and understanding with each other, generation after generation, that has culminated in today’s collaboration,” he told Singapore media on Dec 15 after holding top-level annual talks with his Chinese counterpart, Vice-Premier Ding Xuexiang, in Chongqing.
“At the end of the day, we are two different countries. Our priorities, interests and focus differ, but we continue to find areas of common interest and are able to work together for the mutual benefit of our businesses and our people,” DPM Gan said.
The meetings comprised those for the Joint Council for Bilateral Cooperation (JCBC) and the three Joint Steering Councils overseeing the government-to-government projects of the Suzhou Industrial Park, Tianjin Eco-City, and the China-Singapore (Chongqing) Demonstration Initiative on Strategic Connectivity.
Underscoring the growing breadth and depth of bilateral ties, a record 27 deals were announced at the meetings, promising tangible benefits for people on both sides.
For instance, Singapore tourists can look forward to
using digital renminbi to make payments
more conveniently in China, reducing their reliance on cash and avoiding surcharges on international credit cards.
