BEIJING: The relationship between Singapore and China is more important than before amid global turbulence and uncertainty, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong told Chinese President Xi Jinping on June 24.
“We can work together to establish closer ties and also to cooperate in regional and multilateral platforms, to continue to strengthen multilateralism and the rules-based global order for the benefit of all countries,” Wong said at the meeting in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.
Wong’s visit to China comes as the global order post-World War II which allowed for free trade has come under threat with the US imposition of high tariffs on goods from much of the world, especially from China.
“In the face of the current chaotic international situation, China is willing to strengthen strategic co-operation with Singapore, tighten the bonds of co-operation, and join hands to address challenges, to bring more benefits to the people of the two countries,” Xi told Wong.
Both leaders last met in November 2024 in Lima, Peru, on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) summit.
Wong is on a five-day official visit to China, his first as prime minister. He told Xi that he chose China as the first country to make an introductory visit outside of South-East Asia, and this reflects the close and steadfast partnership between Singapore and China.
Reiterating a point that he made when he met with Premier Li Qiang the day before on June 23, Wong told Xi that the relationship between Singapore and China is built on a deep level of mutual respect, trust and understanding.
Wong said that this relationship started even before both countries established diplomatic ties 35 years ago, starting with Singapore’s founding Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew and China’s leader Deng Xiaoping.
“President Xi is in a unique position, I think, to have engaged and met with all the prime ministers of Singapore, Lee Kuan Yew, Goh Chok Tong, Lee Hsien Loong, and now me,” he said.
Wong will meet Chairman of the National People’s Congress Zhao Leji on June 24 after the meeting with Xi. With this, he would have met the top three leaders in China.
Wong will then head to Tianjin to attend the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) Annual Meeting of the New Champions, more commonly known as Summer Davos, and take part in a dialogue session with WEF President Borge Brende on June 25. - The Straits Times/ANN
