Apr. 22 – Partly spurred by the importance of China-ASEAN trade, last week Singaporean Transport Minister Lui Tuck Yew met his China counterpart, Yang Chuantang, to discuss cooperation on transport and other issues of mutual interest. China’s trade with ASEAN, of which Singapore is the financial and services hub, topped US$400 billion last year.
Minister Yang also visited the Land Transport Authority of Singapore to exchange his views on urban transport policies and further development.
Singapore is the world’s largest port by shipping volume, and many international shipments destined for Chinese markets pass through the Malacca Straits. Singapore will also soon be linked directly by rail to China by way of a pan-Asia rail link. This rail link will run all the way through Southeast Asia, passing through Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam and into China’s huge national rail network in its Yunnan Province.
Furthermore, Minister Yang presented US$200,000 to the Aids to Navigation Fund to Minister Lui, who accepted it on behalf of the fund committee. The fund disburses money for the maintenance and replacement of the 51 principal navigation aids throughout the straits of Malacca and Singapore.
