BEIJING - Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat met Chinese Vice-President Wang Qishan on Thursday (Oct 17), with the two leaders reaffirming the strong cooperation built through the years.

In a Facebook post as he wrapped up his visit to China, Mr Heng said he had a fruitful and productive trip with his 4G colleagues, where they spent time taking stock of progress made on government-to-government projects. During the visit, the Deputy Prime Minister for the first time co-chaired the Joint Council for Bilateral Cooperation (JCBC) with Chinese Vice-Premier Han Zheng.

On his meeting with Mr Wang, Mr Heng said they "reaffirmed the strong cooperation between Singapore and China built by past generations of leaders on both sides".

Mr Wang is an old friend of Singapore and he co-chaired the JCBC - the highest-level bilateral platform between the two countries - from 2008 to 2012.

Mr Heng and Mr Wang also looked forward to the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations next year.

Both leaders exchanged views on enhancing bilateral cooperation, including under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and in response to common challenges such as ageing populations. The BRI is a signature policy of President Xi Jinping, whose vision is to recreate a 21st-century Silk Road of overland corridors and shipping lanes.

Both Mr Heng and Mr Wang also agreed that the strong cooperation between Singapore and China contributes to regional cooperation between Asean and China, and in the East Asian region.