China and Singapore should make joint efforts to explore new spheres for bilateral cooperation, said top legislator Wu Bangguo Wednesday at a meeting with Singaporean Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew.  

Wu, chairman of the National People's Congress Standing Committee, called Lee an old friend of the Chinese people and Chinese leaders, and spoke highly of Lee's efforts for and important contributions to the development of bilateral relations in the past years.

He cited Lee's 25 visits to China since 1976 to indicate the importance Lee attaches to the development of bilateral relations, and the successful Sino-Singaporean cooperative project, the Suzhou Industrial Park.

He said bilateral cooperation in personnel training has also been very active and acquired satisfactory results.

The Chinese side is satisfied with the rapid development of bilateral relations, and the two sides should consolidate their cooperative basis and give full play to enterprises in exploring their economic complementarity, said Wu, who arrived here Tuesday on an official goodwill visit.

He also said the two countries boast potentials for cooperation in the service sector such as modern logistics, finance and insurance.

Lee said Singapore has always paid great attention to its cooperation with China and he believes the Chinese people are bound to build a prosperous China with their diligence and wisdom.

He said China's development is peaceful, China's success conforms to Singapore's interests and bilateral cooperation is mutually beneficial and win-win.

Wu said China's reform and opening-up enabled China to explore a socialist path with Chinese characteristics and China will march unswervingly forward along this path.

They also exchanged views on issues of common concern such as the Taiwan question and Sino-US relations.

(Xinhua News Agency May 19, 2005)