SINGAPORE - The communist party chief of China's Fujian province called on Singapore's Deputy Prime Minister and Coordinating Minister for National Security Teo Chee Hean at the Ministry of Home Affairs on Monday (April 18).

Mr You Quan and Mr Teo affirmed the long-standing economic links between China and Singapore and discussed opportunities for further cooperation, said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a statement on Monday.

The opportunities include Singapore's participation in Fujian's development as a core region of China's 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, an initiative which envisions a China linked to Europe via South-east Asia.

It is part of President Xi Jinping's One Belt, One Road initiative proposed in 2013, which aims to revive two ancient trade routes.

One of these routes is the maritime one, while the other is the "Silk Road Economic Belt" which connects China with Europe via Central Asia.