Kazakhstan, Singapore sign 6 documents on deepening inter-state cooperation

By Burc Eruygur

ISTANBUL (AA) - Kazakhstan and Singapore on Thursday signed six documents on deepening inter-state cooperation amid an official visit by Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev to the Southeast Asian city-state.

The documents were signed in a ceremony following talks between Tokayev and Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, who was sworn-in as the country’s new premier on May 15 in what was the first leadership change in the city-state in 20 years.

“We attach great importance to our multifaceted cooperation with Singapore. We have a long tradition of close ties. I am personally involved in the history of the development of relations with Singapore,” Tokayev was quoted as saying in a Kazakh presidential statement during a meeting with Wong.

Quoting Tokayev congratulating Wong on his recent appointment as the premier, the statement said the Kazakh president emphasized Singapore as a strategic partner of Astana in Southeast Asia.

Tokayev underlined the city-state’s very dynamic development, as well as its leading position in the world economy, it noted.

He added that he is confident the results of his first visit to Singapore will give a powerful impetus to bilateral relations, the statement also said, saying he confirmed his readiness to provide the necessary assistance for this.

For his part, Wong noted the huge potential for strengthening mutually beneficial cooperation between his country and Kazakhstan, the statement said.

He further said the economies of the two countries are complementary, and Singapore can serve as a kind of gateway for Kazakhstan in expanding interaction with ASEAN countries, while Astana can contribute to Singapore’s rapprochement with Central Asia.

“The parties agreed to make joint efforts to expand contacts between the business communities of Kazakhstan and Singapore,” the statement also said.

Earlier in the day, Tokayev also held talks with his counterpart Tharman Shanmugaratnam, during which he was quoted describing Singapore as a “time-tested and reliable partner” of his country.

“Today, more than 140 Singaporean companies and joint ventures operate in our country, while the total volume of Singaporean investments in the Kazakh economy has exceeded $1.7 billion,” said a corresponding Kazakh presidential statement.

Tokayev was quoted expressing his visit to be the first by a Kazakh president to Singapore in over 20 years, while the statement further said the volume of mutual trade between the two countries will soon exceed $2 billion despite economic difficulties caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Tokayev was further quoted as saying that Kazakhstan intends to open a new chapter in bilateral cooperation between Kazakhstan and Singapore, focusing on political dialogue, as well as dynamic trade and investment ties.