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South China Morning Post
4 days ago
- Business
- South China Morning Post
China-Singapore relations a steadying force amid global uncertainty
Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong chose China for his first state visit outside Southeast Asia since he won the general election in May. That was a clear message as it came at a time of intense rivalry between China and the United States. All his predecessors since Lee Kuan Yew treasured the stable bilateral relations between the two countries, and Wong is saying he is no exception. One of the high-profile events he attended was the 'Summer Davos' in Tianjin. Meanwhile, he has extended an invitation to President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang to visit Singapore. The visit was also a balancing act. Singapore's relations with the US are vital. So there is a need to show it is not taking sides. Beijing has long attached great importance to its relations with the Lion City, and Xi has called for a deepening of ties. As the biggest foreign investor, Singapore is welcome to new business opportunities in China. This is symbolised by the iconic Suzhou Industrial Park in Jiangsu, one of the oldest of its kind, with new plans for expansion. Singapore has proposed to deepen collaboration on such projects as the Suzhou park and in third-party ventures. Xi has called on Singapore to stand with China 'on the right side of history'. That means future bilateral development must be safeguarded to ensure they are on the right track, with mutual support to further each other's 'core interests'. In this context, Wong has reiterated Singapore's support for the 'one China' principle, while Xi emphasised cooperation, such as through the Belt and Road Initiative, hi-tech development and a green economy. China strongly believes that the historic tide is for peace, development and cooperation. International relations ought to be about win-win, not the law of the jungle in which the strong bullies the weak.
South China Morning Post
03-03-2025
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Suzhou offers model for China-Singapore cooperation
Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at [email protected] or filling in this Google form . Submissions should not exceed 400 words, and must include your full name and address, plus a phone number for verification Advertisement I am writing in response to 'Will Singapore avoid Trump's tariffs but face US-China trade war 'crossfire'?' ( February 6 ). Singapore should deepen cooperation with China on economic systems and corporate management models and not worry too much about the US-China tariff dispute. I was born and raised in Suzhou in Jiangsu province. Although it is underrated and most Westerners don't know much about it, it is China's seventh-largest city by gross domestic product. Its unique development path and constructive partnership with Singapore provides valuable insights into how the Chinese economy has flourished over the past four decades. Suzhou, famous for its Unesco World Heritage-listed classical Chinese gardens, has long been recognised as a leisure destination and a 'land of fish and rice'. Today, it is one of China's most influential hi-tech manufacturing centres and a popular destination for foreign investment. Advertisement This huge transformation began with an agreement between China and Singapore in the 1990s to launch the Suzhou Industrial Park (SIP), the two countries' first major joint project.
