SPEECH BY PRIME MINISTER GOH CHOK TONG AT THE DINNER HOSTED IN HONOUR OF PRESIDENT RICARDO LAGOS OF THE REPUBLIC OF CHILE AT THE ISTANA ON FRIDAY, 30 APRIL 2004, AT 8.00 PM
His Excellency President Ricardo Lagos
Distinguished Guests
Ladies and Gentlemen
On behalf of the government and people of Singapore, I extend a very warm welcome to you, Mr President, and members of your distinguished delegation. Your visit sends a very strong signal of Chile's growing interest in this region and Singapore.
Chile is a vast and diverse country with a long coastline. Minerals, farmland and forests are part of your country's abundant natural resources. In addition, you have talented human resources. Chileans proudly refer to their country as the "Land of Poets". You boast not one, but two, Nobel Prize winners for Literature - Pablo Neruda and Gabriela Mistral.
Your Excellency
I am heartened by the friendship and cooperation between Singapore and Chile. Your presence here tonight, and my visit to your country in 1998, testify to the warm ties between our two countries and peoples. The volume of bilateral trade is also growing. Chilean products like wine are now commonly available in our restaurants and supermarkets. I expect our economic ties to grow. Our agencies - International Enterprise Singapore and Pro Chile - have been helping our businessmen link up and explore opportunities in each other's countries. The lunch that you hosted today has provided another opportunity to enhance our business ties.
Your Excellency
Singapore and Chile are natural partners. We are small countries and strong proponents of Free Trade Agreements and global free trade.
As members of APEC, Singapore and Chile have worked to advance the trade liberalisation process. The failure of the WTO trade talks in Cancun makes APEC even more relevant today. The increasing number of Free Trade Agreements and Regional Trade Agreements will serve as important building blocks for global trade liberalisation. They can be used to prod the WTO process. I am confident that under Chile's able leadership, we will see a successful Summit in Santiago this year.
Singapore and Chile are also working on a Free Trade Agreement with New Zealand. Symbolically, the Pacific Three FTA connects three countries across three regions. When completed, this trilateral FTA will bolster trans-Pacific linkages.
Singapore and Chile's cooperation, however, is not limited to economics. We are also partners in building bridges of understanding. For instance, when I mooted the idea of a dialogue between East Asia and Latin America in 1998, it found resonance in Chile. With Chile's strong support, the Forum for East Asia-Latin America Cooperation (FEALAC) took off. Today, FEALAC provides a forum for a free exchange of ideas and interaction amongst peoples of two continents. I am confident that FEALAC will grow in importance and contribute to greater understanding and cooperation between our two regions.
Excellencies
Distinguished Guests
May I now ask you to rise and join me in a toast to the good health and success of President Ricardo Lagos, and to the peace and prosperity of the people of Chile.
May our friendship, like a fine Chilean wine, continue to get better with time.
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30 Apr 2004