Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong meets Chinese Premier Li Qiang in Beijing to advance bilateral collaborations and sign key agreements.
BEIJING: Chinese Premier Li Qiang emphasized China’s commitment to deepening its partnership with Singapore during a bilateral meeting with Singapore’s Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong on Wednesday (Dec 6). The two leaders discussed advancing collaborations following the elevation of bilateral relations earlier this year.
Premier Li highlighted the strong momentum in cooperation, stating that both countries have maintained close exchanges and demonstrated the “great potential” of their relationship. He added, “China stands ready to work with Singapore to pursue even more ambitious goals in this new era.”
The meeting, held at Beijing’s Great Hall of the People, marked a key event in Mr. Wong’s four-day official visit to China. Mr. Wong, who is also Singapore’s Finance Minister, previously met Premier Li during a visit in May.
Fostering New Opportunities
According to Singapore’s Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), Mr. Wong and Premier Li agreed to advance mutual cooperation in emerging areas such as the digital economy, renewable energy, and clean energy. Discussions also included regional and global developments, with both leaders reaffirming the importance of maintaining an open, rules-based regional framework.
Premier Li also underscored the importance of Mr. Wong’s participation in the 19th Joint Council for Bilateral Cooperation (JCBC) meeting, the highest-level forum for Sino-Singaporean collaboration. Mr. Wong is set to co-chair the JCBC in Tianjin alongside Chinese Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang.
Mr. Wong expressed optimism about the bilateral ties, noting, “There has been very good momentum of high-level exchanges between Singapore and China.” He also confirmed plans to sign over 20 memoranda of understanding and agreements during his visit.
Deepening Economic and Strategic Partnerships
During a separate meeting with Vice Premier He Lifeng, the two leaders discussed strengthening trade, financial connectivity, and market linkages. Both emphasized the need to make both economies more future-ready through deeper collaboration.
Vice Premier He recalled his role in developing the Sino-Singapore Tianjin Eco-City project and highlighted its significance in bilateral ties. He also praised Mr. Wong’s leadership, stating, “I’m very happy to see you moving up to more important positions.”
Mr. Wong will co-chair several other high-level meetings, including the China-Singapore Suzhou Industrial Park Joint Steering Council and the Sino-Singapore Tianjin Eco-City JSC. These discussions will review progress on flagship government-to-government projects and explore new initiatives.
A Vision for the Future
Premier Li reflected on the March meeting between Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and China’s President Xi Jinping, which elevated bilateral ties to an “All-Round High-Quality Future-Oriented Partnership.” He reiterated China’s dedication to translating shared understandings into tangible outcomes that benefit both nations.
As Singapore and China continue to strengthen their partnership, this visit underscores their shared vision for innovation, sustainability, and deeper economic ties.
