Singapore, China to open 'fast lane' for essential travel next month

Check-in counters without passengers at Changi Airport. (Photo: Reuters)

 Singapore and China have agreed to launch a “fast-lane” arrangement in early June to facilitate essential travel for business and official purposes, Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said in a statement on May 29.

The arrangement will be first applied between Singapore and the six Chinese provinces or municipalities directly under the central government - Shanghai, Tianjin, Chongqing, Guangdong, Jiangsu and Zhejiang, with effective COVID-19 prevention and control measures being in place to ensure safety.

The measure was discussed at the 2nd China-Singapore joint meeting on COVID-19, which was held in the form of video conference on May 28.

During the meeting, the two countries spoke highly of the mutual support rendered during the COVID-19 pandemic, including assistance in terms of medical treatment and stay for each other’s citizens during the period.

They agreed to support the leading role of the World Health Organization in the global campaign against the novel coronavirus, the MFA said.

Both nations also backed the early convening of the Special Foreign Ministers’ Meeting to implement the outcomes of the earlier Special ASEAN Plus Three Summit on COVID-19 last April and agreed on the importance of enhancing regional cooperation on prevention and control of the disease./.

VNA