Singapore - S'pore, China to share knowledge and experience in social management

SINGAPORE: Singapore and China will share knowledge and experiences in social management, under an agreement signed on Friday.

One platform for this exchange is the inaugural Singapore-China Forum on Social Management, where both countries will share ideas in areas such as ageing populations, income gap and social safety nets.

Forum participants will cover topics related to social policies, income gap issues, ageing populations, social safety nets, healthcare, social mobility and the building of harmonious societies in multi-cultural backgrounds.

At the forum's opening ceremony on Friday, China's security chief Zhou Yongkang suggested ways to strengthen bilateral cooperation in these areas through mutual visits and forums.

Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean said the forum added another dimension to strong bilateral relations.

He said China has had phenomenal economic growth in the last three decades, but it is also facing new challenges in social needs, such as finding employment for graduates, satisfying middle-class aspirations and providing better education, healthcare and social services.

Mr Teo pointed out that Singapore is in a new phase of development. On top of economic transformation, it is also adapting its social systems to meet changing needs.

Mr Teo said: "Although China and Singapore are very different in terms of physical size and population, we face similar social challenges such as the income gap, an ageing population, strains on the family structure, rising public expectations as well as maintaining cohesiveness amidst greater diversity and new media.

"I see this as just the start of a new journey together. There are many other areas in social management where we can learn from one another, and we look forward to discussing other important areas of relevance to both countries in future forums in this series."

-CNA/ac

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