MPA: China’s Senior Transport Official Visits Singapore

Singapore plays host to Mr Yang Zan, Director-General of the Department of International Co-operation, Ministry of Transport, People’s Republic of China, under the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore’s (MPA) Distinguished Visitors Programme (DVP) from 31 July to 2 August 2013.

Mr Yang held several key roles in the Ministry of Transport before assuming his current appointment as the Director General of the Department of International Co-operation in August 2012. He was the Deputy Director-General of the Department of International Co-operation from May 2010 till August 2012 and the Deputy Director-General of the Department of Water Transportation, Ministry of Transport from January 2007 till May 2010.

Prior to this, Mr Yang was the Vice-Chancellor of Dalian Maritime University from May 2005 to December 2006 and Dean of the College of Transport Management in Dalian Maritime University from 2001 to 2005.

This morning, Mr Yang called on Minister for Transport, Mr Lui Tuck Yew. In conjunction with the visit, he also met with the senior management of MPA including Mr Lam Yi Young, Chief Executive of MPA.

In conjunction with Mr Yang’s visit, Mr Lam and Mr Yang co-chaired the 8th China-Singapore Senior Officials’ Committee Meeting (SOCM). The SOCM was formalised under the Maritime Cooperation Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed between China and Singapore in May 2004. The SOCM is an important platform for charting the directions of maritime co-operation between Singapore and China. Under the MOU, the SOCM holds discussions on areas such as port management, maritime training, maritime R&D and maritime technology.

“MPA is very pleased to host Mr Yang Zan. We exchanged useful insights and enjoyed good discussions on many maritime issues of mutual interest. Mr Yang’s visit builds on the strong maritime bilateral relations between Singapore and China and was an opportunity for us to further strengthen our ties and explore opportunities for further co-operation,” said Mr Lam.

Mr Yang Zan’s three-day visit programme will include visits to the Port Operations Control Centre at PSA Vista, where he will be introduced to the state-of-the-art Vessel Traffic Information System, a sea tour of the Port of Singapore and a trip to the Raffles Lighthouse, as well as the Singapore Maritime Gallery.

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Press Release, July 31, 2013