On the morning of April 29, 2003, Premier Wen Jiabao who is in Bangkok to attend the China-ASEAN Leaders’ Special Meeting on SARS met with Singaporean Prime Minister Goh Cho Tong.

Wen positively evaluated the overall development of the relations between China and Singapore in the recent years, stressing that the newly-elected Chinese government will continue to strengthen Sino-Singaporean friendly cooperative relations in the spirit of making good friends and partners with neighbors. On the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) -related issues, Wen said that the outbreak of SARS is a precipitate calamity, but the Chinese government and people face it up courageously instead of cowering. Mobilized, we will take further substantial measures, which have received support of the Chinese people and the understanding of the international community. We have the confidence of turning the situation through unswerving efforts.

Wen stressed that SARS is also a common problem of the whole human race. As a result, it was with the attitude of candidness, responsibility, trust and cooperation that he came to Bangkok. He will face the reality, face the world, and have a thorough exchange of views with the leaders of ASEAN countries, so as to strengthen exchanges on information and prevention and treatment experience, as well as conduct cooperation in every aspect. In this way, instead of influencing the development of Sino-Singaporean relations, SARS-related problems will rather provide an opportunity for the enhancement of cooperation between China and Singapore, and between China and ASEAN countries. We are willing to work with ASEAN countries to combat SARS to the final victory.

Goh Cho Tong said that SARS situation is quite severe and China is encountering an unprecedented challenge, but he believed that the Chinese government and people can overcome this disease. He also hoped the message that China and ASEAN will strengthen their cooperation and take measures and the cooperation is achieving progress will be clearly delivered to the international community through this conference. We will also elicit experience from the concerted actions in dealing with SARS and form a new cooperative mechanism handling sudden crisis and problems.