BEIJING – In an uncertain and troubled world, cooperation between Singapore and China is “especially valuable”, for the benefit of their respective populations, Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong told Chinese President Xi Jinping as the two leaders met in Beijing on Nov 26.

On his part, Mr Xi also called for the bilateral relationship to be strengthened, saying that both countries should deepen their collaboration and “make new and greater contributions to regional peace and prosperity”.

It was the first meeting between the two statesmen since Mr Lee assumed his new role as senior minister, after stepping down as prime minister in May.

He is on a six-day official visit to China to commemorate the 30th anniversary of Singapore and China’s flagship government project, Suzhou Industrial Park (SIP), and to meet Chinese leaders.

Speaking ahead of a dinner hosted by Mr Xi, SM Lee noted that tensions between major powers have intensified and that countries are emphasising national security and supply chain resilience, instead of economic integration and international multilateral cooperation.

“And it makes it all the more important in such an environment for like-minded countries, big ones as well as small ones, to work together to develop our cooperation to the best of our ability for the benefit of our peoples,” SM Lee said to Mr Xi.

Just overnight, US President-elect Donald Trump had declared new tariffs on China, Canada and Mexico when he takes office on Jan 20, with the news quickly roiling markets over fears of a global trade war.

The Chinese leader, too, called for more collaboration as Singapore and China have elevated their bilateral relationship in 2023, and as the two countries mark 35 years of diplomatic ties in 2025.

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SM Lee is visiting the country for the first time in his new capacity, though he is hardly a stranger. In his 20 years as Singapore’s prime minister, he had visited China 14 times, making him one of the most frequent visiting foreign leaders.

Mr Xi said he was happy to see SM Lee again. “In any case, we used to meet often in the past,” the President said, smiling. The last time they met was in March 2023, when SM Lee also visited the Chinese capital.

On Nov 26, Mr Xi welcomed SM Lee at Diaoyutai State Guesthouse, a sprawling royal garden used to host foreign dignitaries.

Both men looked relaxed and chatted as they walked into a meeting room, with SM Lee saying that he took the high-speed rail from Suzhou to Beijing, a four-hour ride.

“Very comfortable and very convenient,” SM Lee said in Mandarin to Mr Xi as they took their seats across from each other.

Welcoming Mr Lee in his new role as senior minister, Mr Xi paid him a compliment: “Internationally and in Asia, you are considered a veteran politician.”

Whether it is the achievements that Singapore has made or in promoting international or regional cooperation, SM Lee has made important contributions, Mr Xi said.

He also congratulated SM Lee on the successful transition of power in the Singapore leadership in May.

“You are the Chinese people’s old friend, a good friend, and you have had a long-term interest in and support for China-Singapore cooperation,” said Mr Xi, who later hosted Mr and Mrs Lee to dinner.

SM Lee started his China visit in Suzhou in Jiangsu province. It came shortly after his working visit to Boston and New York in the US, which had just sewn up a presidential election in which Trump was re-elected.

On the SIP, Mr Xi said the project has set a benchmark for the cooperation of the two countries and is “also a testimony to Singapore’s deep involvement in China’s reform and opening up”.

In turn, SM Lee said he was happy to be back in China, and noted that Mr Xi had met Prime Minister Lawrence Wong recently at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) meeting in Lima, Peru.

Taking stock of his visit to Suzhou on Nov 25, SM Lee said he was proud to see the park thriving and prospering and “to know that it has succeeded beyond our wildest expectations”.

He said he was also very glad that “SIP has played a valuable role in China’s economic development and transformation and continues to do so today”.

In a light-hearted moment, SM Lee said that while the industrial park has modernised over the decades and its gross domestic product has gone up 10 times, there remains one traditional product that continues to be exported from the land.

“I saw a sign for it at the restaurant at the hotel yesterday, and it says, ‘Yangcheng Lake hairy crab’,” he said, to laughs from Mr Xi and his colleagues, who included director of the Chinese Communist Party’s Central Foreign Affairs Commission Office and Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Commerce Minister Wang Wentao, and Mr Zheng Shanjie, chairman of China’s economic planning agency, the National Development and Reform Commission.

Yangcheng Lake, located in the northern part of the industrial park, is known for the prized delicacy.

The last time SM Lee was in China in March 2023, both countries upgraded their relationship to one that is described as an “all-round, high-quality, future-oriented partnership”.

That trip was also seen as an opportunity for Mr Lee to let Chinese leaders know that Mr Wong would soon take over as prime minister.

Mr Wong, then still deputy prime minister and finance minister, soon made an official trip in May 2023, when he met Premier Li Qiang, among other leaders.

While Mr Wong has yet to make an official visit to China since taking over as prime minister, he recently met Mr Xi on the sidelines of the Apec meeting. Both leaders had discussed cooperation in the green and digital economies, as well as regional and international developments.

A statement by the Singapore Foreign Ministry said both SM Lee and Mr Xi also discussed regional and international developments at their meeting, while Mr Xi updated SM Lee on China’s domestic and external priorities.

“Both sides reaffirmed the importance of maintaining peace and stability in the region, as well as the key role of a free and open international trading system to the development of the global economy and both countries’ development,” said the statement.

On Nov 26, SM Lee also met Mr Wang Huning at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. Mr Wang is chairman of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), the top political advisory body. He is ranked fourth out of seven in the apex decision-making Politburo Standing Committee.

Mr Wang noted that SM Lee has visited China many times and has had close interactions with Chinese leaders. China is confident that SM Lee will continue to play an important role as senior minister in promoting bilateral ties, he said.

“You have said that Singapore-China cooperation, which is in line with the priorities of each country and the needs of its people, should evolve with the times. We very much agree,” said Mr Wang.

China is willing to deepen cooperation with Singapore in all areas and bring prosperity to the region, he said.

SM Lee described relations as being in “very good shape”, and said he looked forward to “catching up with old friends and to learn about recent developments in China”.

He said that both countries have good people-to-people ties, noting a 30-day mutual visa exemption that was introduced in February 2024.

On the morning of Nov 26, SM Lee and the Singapore delegation also visited the electric vehicle plant of tech company Xiaomi and were hosted by its founder, chairman and chief executive Lei Jun, as well as the senior management team.

SM Lee will end his visit in Shanghai, where he will meet and be hosted to lunch by Shanghai party chief Chen Jining, and attend a reception for overseas Singaporeans.

SM Lee is accompanied by Mrs Lee, Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan, and Education Minister and Minister-in-charge of the SIP Chan Chun Sing. Also in the delegation are Senior Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and National Development Sim Ann, and Senior Minister of State for Trade and Industry and Culture, Community and Youth Low Yen Ling.

This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.