Chinese vice premier calls for enhanced cooperation with Singapore

Chinese Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang called for enhanced bilateral cooperation and friendship with Singapore when he met with Singaporean Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality on Monday.

Ding, who is also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, said that the long-term and stable development of China-Singapore relations has benefited from the strategic guidance of the leaders of both countries, who have upheld the correct political direction.

The two sides should continue to enhance mutual trust, respect each other's core interests, and ensure the steady and sustained progress of their friendly relations and mutually beneficial cooperation, he said.

Gan said that Singapore highly values its relations with China, firmly upholds the one-China principle, opposes the secessionist forces in Taiwan, and is willing to maintain close exchanges with China at all levels to promote greater development of bilateral relations.

Ding and Gan co-chaired four China-Singapore mechanism meetings on bilateral cooperation, namely, the 21st meeting of the China-Singapore Joint Council for Bilateral Cooperation, the 26th meeting of the China-Singapore Suzhou Industrial Park Joint Steering Council, the 17th meeting of the China-Singapore Tianjin Eco-City Joint Steering Council, and the ninth meeting of the China-Singapore (Chongqing) Demonstration Initiative on Strategic Connectivity Joint Steering Council.

They comprehensively reviewed and summarized the progress of practical cooperation between the two countries, clarifying the direction and priorities for cooperation in the next stage.

Both sides agreed to deepen the alignment of development plans, promote the upgrading of major projects, cultivate and strengthen new quality productive forces, jointly safeguard the multilateral trading system, and better promote the development of both countries and the prosperity and stability of the region.

Following the meetings, Ding and Gan witnessed together the exhibition of achievements in China-Singapore cooperation, and attended the launching ceremony of two freight trains under the China-Singapore Multi-modal Demonstration Project. They also visited the comprehensive exhibition hall of China-Singapore interconnectivity projects and Chongqing digital city operation and governance center.

At the invitation of Ding, Gan is on a visit to China from December 15 to 16.

Chinese vice premier calls for enhanced cooperation with Singapore

As part of the Ministry of Commerce's "Shopping in China" campaign, the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Region Consumer Season, together with the 2026 National Consumption Promotion Month initiative, kicked off in north China's Tianjin Municipality on Monday evening, highlighting coordinated efforts to boost regional consumption.

Co-hosted by the Ministry of Commerce, China Media Group and the governments of Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei, the event aims to showcase the region's commercial strengths and distinctive consumer offerings.

The launch ceremony featured a wide array of products from across the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, including intangible cultural heritage items, local specialties, time-honored brands, and emerging consumer labels.

Organizers also unveiled the first list of specialty souvenirs from the regions and released a bilingual Shopping in China · Consumption Guide for Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Region, covering shopping, dining, tourism, and exhibitions and performances to foster the region as a global shopping hub.

This year's consumer season underscores regional coordination, rolling out ten joint initiatives such as AI-plus experiences and premium shopping routes. The campaign is designed to develop a year-round, integrated consumption brand spanning commerce, culture, tourism, and sports.

"By linking signature events, we aim to create year-round highlights that showcase Tianjin's unique charm and consumption vitality," said He Xiaoyang, Director of the Consumption Promotion Division at the Tianjin Municipal Bureau of Commerce.

The regional initiative coordinates with the earlier announcement of the Ministry of Commerce to continue building the “Shopping in China” brand, improve trade-in programs for consumer goods, advance new consumption models and scenarios, and enhance the international consumer environment.

By expanding premium consumer goods supply and leveraging first-launch, green, healthy, and smart consumption models, the initiative explores ways to achieve coordinated consumption growth in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, a major trade and industrial powerhouse in northern China.

Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei co-host regional initiative to promote consumption