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Premier sends condolences to Singapore on death of founding father

Updated: Mar 23,2015 10:49 AM     english.gov.cn

Premier Li Keqiang delivered his condolences on the passing away of Singapore’s former prime minister Lee Kuan Yew in a telegram sent to Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on March 23.

On behalf of the Chinese government and people, Li expressed his condolences to the Singaporean government and people and extended his deepest sympathy to Lee Hsien Loong and his family.

In the telegram, the Premier said Lee Kuan Yew had worked together with the pioneering generation of Chinese leaders “in opening the gate for the friendly cooperation between China and Singapore”, and “his contributions to the China-Singapore relationship and China’s reform and opening up will surely be marked by history”.

Lee was a strategist and a statesman who was recognized across the world as the founding father of Singapore and a pioneer of its development, as well as a co-founder of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, making important contributions to the peace and development of the region, the Premier said.

Singapore is an important and friendly neighbor of China, and China is ready to work with Singapore to further honor the tradition of partnership that has been ushered in and carefully nurtured by generations of leaders from both countries to achieve the consistent development of the China-Singapore cooperative relationship, Li said.