Singapore's president kicks off state visit to France

Singapore's President Tony Tan Keng Yam is set to make a state visit to France from Sunday to Saturday to mark the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

French President Francois Hollande will host a state dinner for President Tan in Paris while French Prime Minister Manuel Valls will host a working lunch, said Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a press statement.

In Paris, Singapore's President Tan will also meet President of the French Senate Gerard Larcher and Mayor of Paris Anne Hidalgo. President Tan will visit the Laboratoire Kastler Brossel, a research facility with links to National University of Singapore, Nanyang Technological University, and the "Secret Archipelago" art exhibition, which is part of the Singapour en France -- le Festival.

Singapore's President Tan will head to Bordeaux to meet Mayor Alain Juppe and attend a dinner hosted by Matthias Fekl, French minister of State for Foreign Trade, the Promotion of Tourism and French Nationals Abroad. He will also meet Singaporean personnel and their families based at the Cazaux Air Base, which lies just outside of Bordeaux.

President Tan's wife Mary Tan, Minister for Communications and Information Yaacob Ibrahim, Minister for Transport and Second Minister for Defence Lui Tuck Yew and members of Parliament Ellen Lee and Baey Yam Keng will accompany with President Tan during the seven-day state visit. Endi