Singapore and China have renewed their commitment to work together on research relevant to both nations, such as sustainable urban development and healthy ageing.

Yesterday, Singapore's National Research Foundation (NRF) and China's Ministry of Science and Technology (Most) signed an implementation agreement on cooperation in science, technology and innovation.

The five-year agreement builds on the existing Agreement on Cooperation in Science and Technology, signed between the two countries in 1992.

Said NRF's chief executive officer Low Teck Seng: "This (new agreement) represents a renewed commitment between Singapore and China, to continue looking for opportunities to work together in areas of science and technology where there is mutual interest such as in sustainability and the environment, and urban sciences."

The NRF said that under the agreement, there will be a stronger focus on the translation of science and technology research and development through joint innovation and enterprise activities.

There will also be a renewed emphasis on science, technology and innovation cooperation in conjunction with broader cooperation projects between both countries.

The agreement outlines new ways to build closer cooperation, such as through policy exchanges on the advancement of science, technology and innovation, interaction between scientists, and more opportunities to test technologies with the support of each other's government agencies, said the NRF.

These efforts would be built on existing collaborations in science and technology - such as joint grant calls for collaboration in areas such as emerging infectious diseases and environment sciences.

Yesterday's agreement was signed by the NRF's deputy chief executive officer Cheong Wei Yang, and director-general for Most's Department of International Cooperation Ye Dongbai.

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The signing took place on the sidelines of a meeting between Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat, who is chairman of NRF, and China's Minister of Science and Technology Wang Zhigang.

Mr Wang, who is on a four-day official visit to Singapore, called on Mr Heng to discuss science and technological developments, and reaffirm the joint commitment for closer ties between the two countries.