Li Keqiang on Singapore

Li Keqiang, during his time as Premier, consistently maintained a positive and pragmatic stance toward Singapore, emphasizing the depth and breadth of the bilateral relationship. He viewed Singapore as a vital partner, frequently highlighting its success, and repeatedly called for elevating relations to a higher level through concrete cooperation. Evidence of this focus includes his 2018 speech where he congratulated Singapore on its achievements and stressed pursuing open, integrated development for shared prosperity, citing the all-round cooperative partnership progressing with the times established during a previous state visit. He also recalled an early positive impression from a visit in 1985, noting Singapore’s progress.

The framework for this relationship involved advancing several key cooperative platforms, such as the Belt and Road Initiative, the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor, and the Tianjin Eco-City project. He expressed readiness to deepen practical cooperation in finance, third-party markets, technological innovation, and smart cities, while also supporting regional stability efforts like concluding the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea. Furthermore, he addressed specific measures like increasing direct flights following COVID-19 optimization, underscoring a consistent commitment to facilitating personnel and trade exchanges.