(photo by Xinhua)

Chinese President Xi Jinping said here Thursday that China and Singapore shall grasp the bilateral relations with strategic insight and vision, and keep mutual understanding and support on issues of each other's core interests and major concerns.

Xi made the remarks while meeting with Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.

Xi noted that the China-Singapore traditional friendship, promoted by mutual learning and cooperation, has reaped rich fruits.

China highly values its relations with Singapore, and is ready to work with the Southeast Asian country to enhance bilateral partnership step by step, said the Chinese leader.

He encouraged the two sides to put new thinking into their cooperation, and tap cooperative potentials under the Belt and Road Initiative on such fronts as infrastructure construction, trade and investment, and financial collaboration.

Xi urged the two nations to facilitate the major inter-governmental projects, and expand the cooperation in new-tech areas like the Internet and information communication.

Efforts shall also be made to increase people-to-people exchanges, and boost coordination on global governance under multilateral frameworks like the United Nations, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation and the Group of 20, he said.

Xi also pointed out that China will stand with Singapore, which is to take over the presidency of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in 2018, to promote regional integration and a closer China-ASEAN community of shared future.

For his part, Lee said it is very important to deepen his nation's cooperation with China faced with the current complicated international situation.

Singapore is willing to continue its support for and participation in the Belt and Road construction, carry out major inter-governmental projects, and expand its cooperation with China in finance, high-speed railways and free trade area, he added.