Singapore expects active China, ASEAN engagement

Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said Thursday that he has been glad to see China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) approach each other actively.

All ASEAN members are expected to expand cooperation with China, Lee said in a speech delivered at the Party School of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) in Beijing.

China is ASEAN's largest trade partner ,while ASEAN is China's third-largest, he said, adding that the two sides have worked together in multiple sectors.

Boosting peace and security in Asia is conducive for China's development, he said.

"A stable and prosperous Asia is in line with China's strategic interests," he said.

Lee said Asia should form an inclusive regional cooperative framework instead of an exclusive one.

Lee said the programs Singapore has developed in China have seen progress, adding that both countries should boost cooperation and adjust it in accordance with changing situations.

Both Singapore and China face new challenges, such as balancing economic and social development, he said, adding that they can have meaningful exchanges on these topics.

Singapore and China still have great cooperation potential, he said.

Lee also elaborated on Singapore's stance regarding several key issues, such as the global financial crisis and ongoing territorial disputes in the South China Sea.

Lee started his official China visit on Sunday afternoon at the invitation of his Chinese counterpart Wen Jiabao. The Thursday speech was Lee's second at the Party School, the first having been delivered during his first visit to China as Singaporean prime minister in 2005.