Singapore's Lawrence Wong heads to China for first official visit as PM
This will be Prime Minister Lawrence Wong's first trip to China since taking office in May 2024. - Photo: ST file
BEIJING: Prime Minister Lawrence Wong will make a five-day official visit to China from Sunday (June 22), where he will seek to chart the strategic direction of bilateral ties with Chinese leaders.
This will be his first trip to China since taking office in May 2024. In Beijing, he is scheduled to meet the country's top three leaders — President Xi Jinping, Premier Li Qiang and National People's Congress chairman Zhao Leji.
The trip will allow both sides to reaffirm their commitment to strengthening ties and is 'an opportunity for leaders to discuss bilateral issues as well as regional and global developments', the Prime Minister's Office said on June 22.
The visit comes as Singapore and China mark the 35th anniversary of diplomatic relations. In 2023, they upgraded ties to an 'All Round High Quality Future Oriented Partnership'.
PM Wong will also travel to Tianjin – a port city about 1.5 hours south-east of Beijing by car – to attend an event commonly known as 'Summer Davos'.
He will take part in a dialogue with World Economic Forum (WEF) president Børge Brende. The official name for 'Summer Davos' is the WEF Annual Meeting of the New Champions.
Although this is PM Wong's introductory visit to China in his new capacity as head of Singapore's fourth-generation leadership, he is returning to familiar ground.
Since entering politics in 2011, he has visited China almost every year except during the Covid-19 pandemic. His previous China-related roles included co-chairing the Singapore-Sichuan Trade and Investment Committee and overseeing the Tianjin Eco-City when he was Minister for National Development.
He last visited China in December 2023, when as Deputy Prime Minister he co-chaired the Joint Council for Bilateral Cooperation with Vice-Premier Ding Xuexiang. Following his appointment as Prime Minister in 2024, DPM Gan Kim Yong took over that role.
Singapore has prioritised keeping ties with China warm through regular high-level engagements. Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong visited China in November 2024 and met President Xi.
Economic links between the two countries remain strong and mutually beneficial.
China has been Singapore's largest goods trading partner for over a decade, accounting for about 13 per cent of the Republic's global goods trade in 2024.
Singapore is China's largest foreign investor.
For this trip to China, PM Wong will be joined by a new member of his Cabinet – Acting Minister for Transport and Senior Minister of State for Finance Jeffrey Siow – who entered politics in the May 2025 General Election.
Another new face is Dr Syed Harun Alhabsyi, a former Nominated Member of Parliament who contested the 2025 GE as a People's Action Party candidate. He was appointed in May as Senior Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of National Development, and will be sworn in later in 2025.
Other members of PM Wong's delegation include Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister for Sustainability and the Environment and Minister-in-charge of Trade Relations Grace Fu, and Senior Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Home Affairs Sim Ann.
After the official visit, PM Wong will be on leave on June 27, his office said.
While he is away, DPM Gan, who is also Minister for Trade and Industry, will serve as Acting Prime Minister from June 22 to 25.
Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs K. Shanmugam will take over from June 26 to 27. - The Straits Times/ANN
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