Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong is set to embark on his first official visit to the Chinese mainland since taking office, aiming to deepen the partnership between the two nations amidst global uncertainties.
In an exclusive interview with China Media Group (CMG), Wong highlighted three key objectives for his visit: strengthening relationships with Chinese leaders, reaffirming commitment to bilateral cooperation, and addressing regional and global challenges in an increasingly uncertain world.
As the two nations celebrate the 35th anniversary of diplomatic ties, Wong emphasized that the cooperation between Singapore and the Chinese mainland continues to evolve beyond traditional infrastructure projects. Flagship initiatives like the Suzhou Industrial Park and Tianjin Eco-City have matured into platforms for broader innovation, focusing on sustainability, green development, and digital transformation.
“We are exploring new areas of collaboration, such as low-carbon energy and biomedical sciences,” Wong told CMG. He praised the development trajectory of the Chinese mainland as “nothing short of an economic miracle,” citing its urban transformation and the resilience of its people as sources of inspiration.
Addressing rising global uncertainty, the Prime Minister expressed concern over the retreat from multilateralism and criticized the rise of protectionism, particularly the imposition of punitive tariffs. He stressed that such measures are not sustainable solutions and emphasized the importance of improving the multilateral system rather than abandoning it.
“Our response should be to reform, change, improve, and make the system work better for the benefit of all countries,” Wong said.
Wong reaffirmed Singapore’s intention to work with like-minded nations to strengthen regional frameworks such as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), and the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP). He expressed full support for the Chinese mainland’s accession to the Digital Economy Partnership Agreement (DEPA) and welcomed the recent conclusion of the China-ASEAN Free Trade Agreement (FTA) 3.0 negotiations.
“We hope this can be signed at the coming ASEAN-China summit in October, and the new upgrade will come into force soon after that,” he stated.
Looking ahead to his participation in the World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting of the New Champions (Summer Davos) in Tianjin, Wong emphasized the need for renewed global commitment to cooperation and openness. “Without rules and longstanding norms of cooperation, countries everywhere will be worse off,” he warned.
