Hong Kong’s Chief Executive John Lee makes his first visit to Singapore since taking office over a year ago.
SINGAPORE – On Monday, July 24, Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Hong Kong’s Chief Executive John Lee marked the reaffirmation of their cities’ strong and longstanding relationship. Mr. Lee, who arrived in Singapore on Sunday, is visiting for the first time since becoming Hong Kong’s leader just over a year ago.
During their meeting, which included a lunch hosted by PM Lee, both leaders discussed shared challenges faced by their respective cities as global financial hubs. According to a statement from Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), they also focused on ways to deepen their bilateral cooperation moving forward. Additionally, the resumption of civil service exchanges between Singapore and Hong Kong post-pandemic was celebrated, including the Permanent Secretaries Exchange Programme.
PM Lee expressed his continued confidence in Hong Kong’s future prosperity under China’s “One Country, Two Systems” framework, as stated by the MFA.
Before the luncheon, Mr. Lee was invited for breakfast with Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Lawrence Wong, where both reaffirmed the “warm and friendly” relations between their cities. They also exchanged ideas on expanding cooperation in several areas, both bilaterally and through multilateral channels.
“As international financial centres, Singapore and Hong Kong collaborate closely in fintech, regulatory matters, and information sharing,” said MFA. “Both cities complement each other in their respective regions, and there is significant potential for furthering cooperation, particularly in Southeast Asia and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.”
Mr. Lee’s visit to Singapore is the first stop of his week-long ASEAN tour, which will also take him to Malaysia and Indonesia. He is accompanied by key government officials and leaders from various sectors, including finance, investment, law, business, innovation, and technology.
