China’s Li Qiang congratulates Singapore’s Wong on win, looks forward to friendly ties

Singapore and China are marking 35 years of bilateral diplomatic ties this year

Chinese Premier Li Qiang sent a congratulatory message to Singapore’s Prime Minister Lawrence Wong on his second term in office on Friday.

Wong announced his first Cabinet for on Wednesday, about two weeks after his People’s Action Party won 65.57 per cent of the nationwide vote at the poll.

Li said both countries were friendly neighbors and important cooperation partners, enjoying a sound development of relations and fruitful results in cooperation in various fields, which had greatly advanced their respective modernisation, according to state media.

The two sides had maintained coordination and collaboration in international and regional affairs, and made positive contributions to regional peace, stability, prosperity and development, Li noted.

Singapore and China are marking the 35th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties this year.

The Chinese premier said he was ready to work with Wong to further deepen mutual political trust, expand mutually beneficial cooperation, intensify cultural and people-to-people exchanges, as well as jointly uphold multilateralism and free trade systems.

He also expressed his hope for more achievements in the partnership between the two countries, as they work to boost regional prosperity and stability.

China is seeking to strengthen ties with Southeast Asian countries amid its rivalry with the United States and global trade tensions over US President Donald Trump’s tariffs, according to Kyodo news agency.

Li is visiting Indonesia from Saturday to Monday at the invitation of President Prabowo Subianto, China’s Foreign Ministry said on its website.

He will then fly to Kuala Lumpur for the inaugural Asean-Gulf Cooperation Council-China Summit on Tuesday.

Malaysia is chair of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations this year. The GCC comprises the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar and Kuwait.

“Asean and GCC countries are important members of the emerging market economies in Asia and the Global South,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Mao Ning said, according to Turkish state-run news agency Anadolu Ajansi.

He said the summit will also advance joint development under China’s Belt and Road Initiative.