S'pore-China ties set to be re-energised: Chinese ambassador

‘New atmosphere’ of cooperation expected with PM Lawrence Wong at helm in S’pore

- Yew Lun Tian

Ties between Singapore and China, already substantive, are expected to be re-energised with Mr Lawrence Wong taking the helm in Singapore as its new Prime Minister, said China's Ambassador to Singapore Cao Zhongming.

Already, preparations for a top-level meeting between both sides that is happening later in 2024 are at full steam, and Mr Cao says there will be "fruitful results", particularly in the areas of green development, the digital economy, healthcare and education.

Speaking to The Straits Times ahead of the Joint Council for Bilateral Cooperation (JCBC) meeting in Singapore, the envoy noted that PM Wong is no stranger to managing ties with China, having co-chaired the last round of JCBC meetings in Tianjin in December 2023 when he was Deputy Prime Minister.

"He has often talked about the importance of the China-Singapore relationship, and once said 'Never bet on the decline of China'. This shows he is bullish about the prospects of China's long-term development," said Mr Cao of PM Wong.

"So we can fully expect that the Singapore Government, under the leadership of PM Wong, will continue to work with China to promote bilateral cooperation. There's going to be a new atmosphere (of cooperation)," said Mr Cao in an interview at the embassy on Sept 24.

JCBC is the annual top-level platform between both governments that reviews substantive collaboration and charts the direction for cooperation. Its meetings alternate between the two countries.

PM Wong, who was sworn in as Prime Minister in May, had visited China many times in various capacities over the course of his public service career. For example, when he was Minister for National Development, he worked from 2015 to 2020 on the Tianjin Eco-City, one of the three government-to-government flagship projects between both countries.