Global Times: Xi meets Singaporean PM, calling for boosting China-Singapore cooperation

BEIJING, June 24, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Chinese President Xi Jinping met with Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong in Beijing on Tuesday, the Xinhua News Agency reported.

Xi congratulated Wong on his second term in office. Noting that this year marks the 35th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Singapore, Xi highlighted that the two sides have consistently upheld mutual understanding and respect, which has provided a solid foundation for the stable and healthy development of bilateral relations.

Xi emphasized that China and Singapore should firmly grasp the general direction of bilateral friendship, and continuously observe and develop China-Singapore relations from a strategic height and a long-term perspective.

Wong chose China as the destination of his first trip to a non-ASEAN country after he took office in May, which speaks volumes about the high importance he attaches to developing China-Singapore relations, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said at a regular press on Friday.

Ge Hongliang, vice dean of the ASEAN College at Guangxi Minzu University, told the Global Times on Tuesday that the two sides will further review the achievements since the establishment of diplomatic ties 35 years ago. Crucially, this visit aims to chart the course and craft a blueprint for the development of bilateral relations in the next phase, Ge said.

Xi called on both sides to draw experience and wisdom from the development process of bilateral relations, inherit and carry forward fine traditions, and enable the tree of China-Singapore friendship to thrive and bear abundant fruits.

He called for consolidating the political foundation of China-Singapore friendship, supporting each other's core interests and major concerns, and enhancing political mutual trust to facilitate the development of bilateral relations.

Wong said that Singapore and China share a deep-rooted and enduring friendship, and the two sides have always respected and trusted each other, ensuring the stable development of bilateral relations and close cooperation.

In a post on X on Tuesday, Wong said his meeting with President Xi was " productive," noting that "We agreed to further deepen cooperation in line with our unique 'All-Round High-Quality Future-Oriented' Partnership."

The meeting demonstrated both nations' resolve to forge a stable, trust-based partnership through strategic foresight and long-term planning, accentuating their shared commitment to preserving mature and pivotal bilateral relationship, Chen Hong, director of the Asia Pacific Studies Center at East China Normal University, told the Global Times on Tuesday.

During his visit to China, he also held talks with Premier Li Qiang and Chairman of the NPC Standing Committee Zhao Leji on Monday and Tuesday, respectively.

Co-op in emerging sectors

Singapore stands ready to fully leverage the opportunities brought about by China's prosperity and development, expand bilateral trade and investment, enhance cooperation in digital economy, artificial intelligence, new energy and other fields, strengthen people-to-people exchanges, and advance Singapore-China relations to new heights, Wong said during his meeting with the Chinese leader, Xinhua reported.

Chen said Singapore's strategic position as an international nexus for finance, maritime operations, and commerce enables pivotal contributions to enhancing the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) projects' sustainability, regulatory standards, and regional connectivity. China's vast market and technological prowess offer Singaporean enterprises unparalleled market access and growth opportunities.

The two sides enjoy broad prospects for cooperation in the domains of smart cities, high-end manufacturing, healthcare, logistics warehousing, and financial services, he added.

Wong also visited the Beijing humanoid robot innovation center on Monday morning, where he inspected the motion control demonstration of the humanoid robot "Tiangong Ultra" and observed the application of intelligent robots in themed scenarios covering industrial manufacturing, integrated medical care and elderly care, bioinspired animals, teleoperation, and home life, according to the official website of the Beijing Municipal Foreign Affairs Office.

The Singaporean prime minister expressed his willingness to proactively foster collaboration with Beijing in advancing robot technology development and other related fields, according to the office.

"China has made great strides in emerging technologies, especially in AI and robotics," Wong said on X.

Cooperation in AI field enables the two sides to accelerate breakthroughs in core technologies such as humanoid robot motion control, shorten the research and development (R&D) cycle, and reduce innovation costs, Chen Hong said, adding that it also facilitates the creation of globally influential flagship solutions, driving the upgrading of industrial chains.

Such bilateral cooperation will further enable both sides to jointly expand into third-country markets, foster talent exchange and development initiatives, pioneer regional digital and intelligent transformation, and contribute substantive frameworks to global AI governance, the expert noted.

Commitment to multilateralism

China has always believed that peace, development, cooperation and mutual benefit are the unstoppable trend of the times, Xi said.

In the face of a turbulent global landscape, Singapore is willing to strengthen coordination and cooperation with China on regional and multilateral platforms to jointly uphold multilateralism and the international order, Wong added.

Wong wrote on X that "We also discussed global developments, and the different ways our countries can work together to advance wider cooperation across various platforms like ASEAN and APEC," adding that "We look forward to building on the strong momentum in our ties, and forging closer collaboration in the years ahead."

China-Singapore cooperation sends a positive signal of openness, collaboration, and mutual benefit to the region and the world, and helps enhance regional development stability and predictability, according to Chen. The robust development of China-Singapore relations will generate a paradigmatic effect, making substantial contributions to regional stability and serving as a paragon of bilateral ties among Southeast Asian nations.

SOURCE Global Times