Li Ruihuan, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), China's top advisory body, met Monday with Singaporean President Nathan.
Li said the frequent contacts and personal friendship between Chinese and Singaporean leaders are of special importance to the consolidation and development of relations between the two countries.
Talking about the general mood of society, Li said how to create a good atmosphere that caters to the economic development is a major subject that demands sincere research and down-to-earth endeavor.
Noting that general mood in a country is a major reflection of its level of civilization as well as its development prospect, Li said that, without a good mood of society, it is impossible for a country to achieve unity, stability and economic development.
Recalling that Deng Xiaoping said 10 years ago that Singapore's social order is among the best and serves as an example for China in this respect, Li said that Singapore has a clean and dedicated team of civil servants with high efficiency, which has played a significant role in its coordinated economic and social development.
Nathan asked Li to convey his best regards to Chinese President Jiang Zemin. On the bilateral relations between Singapore and China, the president said that Singapore attaches great importance to the overall exchanges with China, learn from and promote each other so as to seek common development.
Li Ruihuan is on a five-day official goodwill visit to the city state. He will leave here for Beijing on November 23 to end his three-nation Asia-Pacific tour, which also includes Fiji and Papua New Guinea (PNG).
(People's Daily November 19, 2001)
