PM Lawrence Wong Emphasizes Need to Nurture Trust with China During First Official Visit

June 23, Beijing— As the cornerstone of a robust and long-lasting China-Singapore partnership, Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong has stressed the significance of consistently fostering trust and understanding between the two nations’ leadership during his first official visit to China since assuming office.

Mr. Wong emphasized that the decades-old basis of mutual respect, trust, and understanding has allowed the bilateral relationship to flourish at a meeting with Chinese Premier Li Qiang in Beijing on Monday.

It is impossible to take for granted this profound degree of understanding and trust. “We must cultivate and nurture it year after year, generation after generation,” Mr. Wong stated.

“With you, Premier Li, I look forward to developing this rapport and trust so that we can further strengthen our bond and create even closer ties.”

A New Era in China-Singapore Relations
As he welcomed Mr. Wong and his delegation, Premier Li Qiang said that China was the first non-ASEAN nation the Singaporean leader had chosen to visit since taking office. This incident shows how important the new Singapore administration views its ties with Beijing.

“This shows how much the new Singaporean government values the relationship between China and Singapore,” Li added.

He went on to say that strengthening collaboration and reciprocal interactions is essential for close allies like China and Singapore in the face of a volatile global environment.

“Change and upheaval abound throughout the world, and instability and uncertainty are on the rise. The relationship and collaboration between China and Singapore are particularly important in this regard,” Premier Li said. Developing Relationships with a New Generation of Leaders
PM Wong brought along a number of new political figures and Cabinet members, demonstrating his administration’s intention to increase ties with China. Those included in the delegation were Jeffrey Siow, Senior Minister of State for Finance and Acting Minister of Transportation, and Parliamentary Member Syed Harun Alhabsyi. Minister of Foreign Affairs Vivian Balakrishnan

Grace Fu, Minister in charge of Trade Relations and Sustainability and the Environment

Senior Minister of State for Home and Foreign Affairs Sim Ann

To strengthen our strong bonds, Wong stated, “I’m encouraging everyone in my Cabinet to continue visiting China on a regular basis.”

Finding Common Ground in a Changing World
Both leaders agreed that cooperating not only bilaterally but also through regional and international forums is crucial, and they noted the increasingly unstable global environment.

PM Wong stated, “We should find ways to cooperate not just between ourselves but also in broader regional and multilateral settings because we are living in a more uncertain and turbulent world.”

After discussions at the ASEAN Summit in Vientiane in October 2024, this is Wong and Li’s second official encounter. Additionally, they had a brief meeting in May in Kuala Lumpur for the ASEAN-GCC-China Summit.

High-Level Gatherings to Attend
While in China, PM Wong expects to meet with the following individuals:

Xi Jinping, President

Zhao Leji, National People’s Congress Chairman
Further demonstrating how important it is for both countries to fortify their diplomatic and economic connections, these sessions are scheduled for June 24.