Singapore welcomes China's growth and sees it as a great opportunity for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Asia and the whole world, Singapore's Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong said in Singapore on Tuesday.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with Xinhua on the eve of his official visit to China, Goh stressed the importance of China's growth, saying that China's phenomenal growth of an average of about 8.5 percent for the past 10 years is a key driving force of the regional economy.

Describing China as both a huge investment destination and market for overseas enterprises, Goh said that China, with its export industries relying on materials and components supplied from other Asian countries, has become a locomotive for the rest of East Asia.

At the same time, China's growing domestic market is fueling imports from other countries and opening up opportunities for foreign investors, Goh said.

Goh also emphasized that the emergence of China has reshaped the political and economic landscape of the Asian-Pacific region and the world.

The increasing integration of China into global markets and its participation in regional and international forum are positive developments, he added.

Goh said China's rapid economic development since embarking on its reform and opening up drive 27 years ago is at the same time a great boon for its own people and a great inspiration for other countries to re-examine their own growth strategy.

"It has inspired hitherto closed countries to open up and embark on the path of reform. The growth of China will lift the poorer Asian countries to middle income status, provided they too follow an open and constructive economic strategy," he said.

Goh noted that China's rise adds new dynamism and vitality to Asia and the world.

As for Sino-ASEAN relations, he said that the strengthening of ASEAN's relations with China is win-win for all, and it will contribute to a peaceful, prosperous and vibrant Asia.

Saying that China has become an important engine of growth for ASEAN, he detailed that in 2005, China's total trade volume reached US$1.42 trillion, and more than half of the trade was with Asia.
 
China is now one of the largest trading partners for a growing number of ASEAN economies such as Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia and Vietnam, and these countries would continue to benefit from China's growth, he noted.

He also expressed hopes for an early clinching of the service and investment agreements between ASEAN and China, which he says will greatly facilitate the deepening of business linkages and people-to-people exchanges between ASEAN and China.

Goh noted that in strategic and security issues, ASEAN and China have stepped up dialogue to enhance mutual understanding and trust. Working together, ASEAN and China can contribute much towards the preservation of peace and stability in a broader region, Goh said.

He added that 2006 marks the 15th anniversary of ASEAN-China dialogue relations, which is an important milestone, marking the maturing of the relationship.

With regard to Sino-Singapore ties, he said that relations between the two countries are "excellent".

"Although it has only been 16 years since we two countries established diplomatic ties, bilateral ties have matured and flourished. We have extensive interactions at various levels, and our relationship is multi-faceted," Goh said.

He also proposed that China and Singapore cooperate in maritime security as both countries are heavily dependent on international trade.

Talking about the purpose of his coming visit to China, Goh said that his visit is to keep up contact with Chinese leaders and to see China's development since his last visit in 2003.

Goh believed that it is necessary for both sides to continue exchanges of high-level visits as new areas of cooperation can be explored through such exchanges.

Goh will leave for China on Wednesday for a seven-day official visit at the invitation of the Chinese government.

(Xinhua News Agency April 12, 2006)