Singapore leader’s visit gives China chance to pitch itself as reliable partner

Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong will visit China next week, on a trip that is expected to give Beijing a chance to promote itself as a reliable partner for Southeast Asian countries and a defender of multilateralism.

China will also be keen to reassure Singapore that the Chinese economy is “back on track” as it gears up for a trade war with the United States, according to analysts.

It will be Wong’s first trip to China since becoming prime minister in May 2024. The visit follows his People’s Action Party’s decisive win in the country’s general election last month.

On Friday the Chinese foreign ministry confirmed the visit would start on Sunday and run until Thursday. It added that Wong was visiting at the invitation of Premier Li Qiang.

“China looks forward to using this visit to further enhance strategic communication with Singapore, deepen exchanges and cooperation across various fields, jointly uphold multilateralism and free trade and to advance bilateral relations to greater heights,” foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said.

Dylan Loh, assistant professor of foreign policy at Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University, said trade and economic cooperation were expected to dominate the agenda.