pm lee visit to china

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PM Lee starts week-long China visit

GUANGZHOU – Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong arrived in Guangzhou on Monday on his first trip to China in four years.

The Singapore leader, accompanied by his wife and a delegation of about 50 Singapore officials, was greeted on the tarmac at Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport at around noon by Chinese officials bearing umbrellas under a persistent drizzle.

Among them were Guangdong vice-governor Zhang Xin, China’s Ambassador to Singapore Sun Haiyan, Guangdong Foreign Affairs Office director-general Liu Chenzi and Guangzhou vice-mayor Tan Ping.

The southern city of Guangzhou in Guangdong province is PM Lee’s first stop on his week-long visit to China, which will also take him to Hainan where he will speak at the Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference, as well as Beijing.

He is scheduled to meet President Xi Jinping and newly minted Premier Li Qiang, who will host a welcome ceremony and a lunch banquet for the Singapore delegation in the Chinese capital city.

In Guangzhou on Monday, PM Lee first visited WeRide, one of China’s leading autonomous driving companies.

Founded in 2017 and now valued at US$5.1 billion (S$6.8 billion), the start-up has investments from Singapore’s SMRT urban mobility services subsidiary Strides, and K3 Ventures, a tech venture capital firm run by Mr Kuok Meng Xiong, the grandson of business tycoon Robert Kuok.

The company’s founder and chief executive Tony Han briefed PM Lee on WeRide’s operations and took him on a tour in a “robo-bus”, which is part of WeRide’s fleet that has been deployed on the roads of Guangzhou to test its autonomous public transport capabilities.

Under an agreement with Strides, WeRide will be trialling autonomous vehicles such as its minibus, taxi and road sweeper in Singapore later in 2023.

In the evening, PM Lee met Singaporeans in Guangdong at a reception at the InterContinental Hotel, where they feasted on familiar favourites such as satay, chicken rice and kueh dadar.

Addressing the crowd of about 150 Singaporeans, who came from different parts of the province to Guangzhou for the event, PM Lee acknowledged the difficulties that they and others in Singapore went through during the pandemic.

China closed its borders in March 2020 because of the pandemic and reopened them only in January 2023.

Describing the past three years as “qi qi fu fu” , or having plenty of ups and downs, he said it was “one of those experiences which, having gone through, you will never forget and you will never be quite the same again”.

Having emerged from this ordeal, “it doesn’t mean that we go on holiday”, he said, because the world will have to respond to the next challenge that comes along and prepare for the future.

“You know what worries us in the world?” he asked, before citing the Ukraine war, which he said has implications for the world and especially small countries like Singapore, as well as big power relations such as those between the United States and China.

“The main thing you have to understand is, the world is not in a very good shape. And Singapore must be in special good shape in order to survive.

“And I think that we are able to do that. Working together, dealing with external problems and dealing with what we’re doing to build Singapore, within the country,” he said.

Ms Lena Gidwani, 41, who has lived in Guangzhou for 20 years and was at the reception with her husband and two children, said PM Lee’s visit was “assurance that things are looking up”.

“The fact he’s here shows readiness on China and Singapore’s part to resume life and business together. It means a lot to the Singapore community that he’s here,” said the director of communications and community relations at the Canadian International School.

Arrived in Guangzhou today, my first stop on a weeklong trip. Glad to visit China again now that borders have reopened.... Posted by Lee Hsien Loong on Monday, March 27, 2023

PM Lee’s last visit to China was in April 2019 , when he attended the second Belt and Road Forum in Beijing.

On this visit, he is accompanied by Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan, Trade and Industry Minister Gan Kim Yong, Health Minister Ong Ye Kung, Senior Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and National Development Sim Ann, and Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Health and Law Rahayu Mahzam.

This week, he will also be hosted to lunch by Guangdong party secretary Huang Kunming, and will meet National People’s Congress chairman Zhao Leji, Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference chairman Wang Huning and Beijing party secretary Yin Li.

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In Hainan, Prime Minister Lee will attend the Opening Plenary of the Bo’ao Forum for Asia (BFA) Annual Conference and deliver a speech. He will attend an Official Lunch hosted by Premier Li for the foreign leaders attending the BFA Annual Conference. The theme of this year’s BFA Conference is “An Uncertain World: Solidarity and Cooperation for Development amid Challenges.” Prime Minister Lee will also have a meeting with Secretary of the CPC Hainan Provincial Committee Feng Fei.

In Beijing, Prime Minister Lee will meet President of the People’s Republic of China Xi Jinping. He will meet Premier Li, who will host a Welcome Ceremony and a Lunch Banquet. Prime Minister Lee will also have meetings with Chairman of the National People’s Congress Zhao Leji, Chairman of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference Wang Huning, and Secretary of the CPC Beijing Municipal Committee Yin Li.

Prime Minister Lee will be accompanied by Mrs Lee, Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister for Trade and Industry Gan Kim Yong, Minister for Health Ong Ye Kung, Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of National Development, Sim Ann, Senior Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Health and Ministry of Law, Rahayu Mahzam, as well as officials from the Prime Minister’s Office, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Ministry of Trade and Industry.

During Prime Minister Lee’s absence, Mr Lawrence Wong, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance, will be the Acting Prime Minister from 27 March to 28 March 2023, and Mr Teo Chee Hean, Senior Minister and Coordinating Minister for National Security, will be the Acting Prime Minister from 29 March to 1 April 2023.

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Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's Meetings in Beijing, 31 March 2023

31 march 2023.

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong met President of the People’s Republic of China Xi Jinping on 31 March 2023 at the Great Hall of the People during his Official Visit to China.

Prime Minister Lee congratulated President Xi on his re-appointment as President and for the successful convening of the 14 th National People’s Congress and Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference meetings ( Lianghui ) .

In reaffirming the excellent bilateral relations, Prime Minister Lee and President Xi agreed to upgrade bilateral relations to an “All-Round High-Quality Future-Oriented Partnership” ( 全方位高质量的前瞻性伙伴关系 ). The upgraded partnership reflects both sides’ commitment to continually expand bilateral cooperation, and pursue new collaboration in forward-looking areas such as digital and green economies.

Prime Minister Lee and President Xi reaffirmed the importance of the Joint Council for Bilateral Cooperation as the annual apex bilateral cooperation platform that will continue to be held at the same level and frequency to provide guidance for both sides’ high-quality and future-oriented cooperation. Prime Minister Lee and President Xi agreed that both sides should work towards resuming flight connectivity and people-to-people exchanges to pre-pandemic levels, as both countries work together towards post-pandemic recovery.

President Xi updated Prime Minister Lee on China’s domestic priorities. Prime Minister Lee welcomed China’s commitment to reform and modernisation efforts, and highlighted Singapore’s readiness to strengthen economic ties with China. Prime Minister Lee and President Xi exchanged views on regional and international developments. Prime Minister Lee welcomed China’s growing engagement of ASEAN. Both sides reaffirmed the importance of building an open, peaceful, and inclusive region.

Prime Minister Lee also met Chairman of the National People’s Congress Standing Committee Zhao Leji. They discussed the good bilateral cooperation in the legal and judicial fronts and agreed on the importance of closer exchanges between both parliaments. Prime Minister Lee looked forward to the resumption of more high-level exchanges between Singapore and China, by leveraging institutional bilateral mechanisms such as the Singapore-China Forum on Leadership and the Singapore-China Social Governance Forum.

Prime Minister Lee met Chairman of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) Wang Huning. Prime Minister Lee noted that both sides enjoyed close bilateral cooperation and mutual trust built over generations at the leadership and people-to-people levels. Our Government-to-Government projects in Suzhou, Tianjin, and Chongqing have continued to progress with both sides’ evolving development priorities. Prime Minister Lee noted that 2023 was the 15 th anniversary of the Tianjin Eco-City (TEC), and both sides were working towards an expanded scope of collaboration. Chairman Wang updated Prime Minister Lee on the CPPCC’s work and China’s future priorities.

Prime Minister Lee met and was hosted to lunch by Secretary of the Communist Party of China Beijing Municipal Committee Yin Li. Prime Minister Lee and Party Secretary Yin exchanged views on developments in Singapore and Beijing. They welcomed closer engagements between Singapore and Beijing for mutual benefit, in areas such as people-to-people exchanges, science and technology, and trade.

. . . . .

MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS

31 MARCH 2023

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is a ministry of the Government of Singapore responsible for conducting and managing diplomatic relations between Singapore and other countries and regions.

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The Asian Traveller

Koh Wan Ting

SINGAPORE: Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong will be making a six-day official visit to China and meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing.

The Prime Minister's Office said in a statement on Sunday (Mar 26) that at the invitation of China's new premier Li Qiang, Mr Lee will also visit Guangdong and Hainan provinces during his trip from Mar 27 to Apr 1.

This is Mr Lee's first visit to China in around four years, and his first since the COVID-19 pandemic. He met Mr Xi in November last year in Bangkok, on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Economic Leaders’ Meeting.

In an interview with China Central Television broadcast on Friday, Mr Lee described relations between Singapore and China as "very good".

He also said China's rise needed to be met with give and take from all sides, in recognition that the superpower now has a bigger role and voice on the global stage.

US-China relationship is key to peace and stability in Asia and the world: DPM Wong

Singapore's FM Vivian Balakrishnan meets China leaders, both countries reaffirm strong ties

Mr Lee's delegation to China will comprise Madam Ho Ching, Foreign Affairs Minister Vivian Balakrishnan, Trade and Industry Minister Gan Kim Yong, Health Minister Ong Ye Kung, Senior Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and National Development Sim Ann, Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Health and Law Rahayu Mahzam as well as government officials.

In Guangdong, Mr Lee will be hosted to lunch by Secretary of the Communist Party of China's (CPC) Guangdong Provincial Committee Huang Kunming. He is also slated to meet Singaporeans based in the coastal province.

Mr Lee will then deliver a speech at the Bo’ao Forum for Asia (BFA) Annual Conference in Hainan, where the theme is “An Uncertain World: Solidarity and Cooperation for Development amid Challenges".

While in Hainan, he will attend an official lunch hosted by Premier Li , for foreign leaders attending the conference. He will also meet with Secretary of the CPC Hainan Provincial Committee Feng Fei.

In Beijing, apart from meeting Mr Xi, Mr Lee will also attend a welcome ceremony and lunch banquet hosted by Premier Li.

The Singapore Prime Minister will then meet with numbers three and four in the CPC hierarchy : National People’s Congress Chairman Zhao Leji and Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference Chairman Wang Huning.

Mr Lee will also meet with Secretary of the CPC Beijing Municipal Committee Yin Li.

In Mr Lee’s absence, Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong will be Acting Prime Minister from Mar 27 to Mar 28, followed by Senior Minister and Coordinating Minister for National Security Teo Chee Hean from Mar 29 to Apr 1.