DPM Teo Chee Hean leads Singapore delegation for six-day trip in China

SINGAPORE - Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean will arrive China on Tuesday for a six-day visit during which he will meet with Chinese leaders, including Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli, attend a forum and take part in a Singapore Day event.

DPM Teo, who is also the Home Affairs minister and minister-in-charge of the Civil Service, will be visiting Beijing, Jinggangshan (Jiangxi Province) and Shanghai. He was invited by Member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and Minister of the Organisation Department of the CPC Central Committee Zhao Leji.

In Beijing, DPM Teo will meet Vice Premier Zhang, as well as State Councillor and Minister of Public Security Guo Shengkun.

Mr Teo will then travel to Jinggangshan to co-chair with Minister Zhao the 5th China-Singapore Forum on Leadership at the China Executive Leadership Academy Jinggangshan (CELAJ) on Friday, in which both leaders will deliver the opening address.

The theme of this year's Forum is Fostering Consensus with Our People and Building National Unity. First hosted by China in 2009, the forum is a platform for political leaders and senior officials from both sides to discuss and exchange experiences on common challenges related to leadership development.

Then on Saturday, DPM Teo will travel to Shanghai for Singapore Day, where he will join about 5,000 Singaporeans in commemorating the 50th anniversary of Singapore's independence and in paying tribute to the late Mr Lee Kuan Yew.

He will also visit the Republic of Singapore Navy's (RSN) RSS Resolution, which is making a port call at Wusong Naval Base, to interact with RSN servicemen. While in Shanghai, DPM Teo will meet Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Secretary of CPC Shanghai Municipal Committee Han Zheng.

DPM Teo will be accompanied by Minister for Education Heng Swee Keat; Minister in the Prime Minister's Office, Second Minister for the Environment and Water Resources, and Second Minister for Foreign Affairs Grace Fu; Senior Minister of State for Health and Manpower Amy Khor; Minister of State for National Development and Defence Maliki Osman; as well as senior government officials.

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