July 2, 2026
SINGAPORE – Prime Minister Lawrence Wong will visit Timor-Leste from July 2 to 3, during which the two countries will agree to establish a framework for bilateral cooperation.
The trip marks the first time a Singapore prime minister is visiting the South-east Asian country, which gained independence in 2002.
PM Wong’s visit reciprocates Timor-Leste Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao’s visit to Singapore in July 2025, said the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) in a statement on July 1.
On July 3, PM Wong will participate in an official welcome ceremony at the Presidential Palace. He will call on Timor-Leste President Jose Ramos-Horta, who was in Singapore in May and delivered a special address at the 23rd Shangri-La Dialogue.
During the upcoming visit, President Ramos-Horta will confer on PM Wong the Order of Timor-Leste (Grand Collar), said the PMO. The award recognises Singapore’s contributions to Timor-Leste’s national development and support for its membership in ASEAN.
Timor-Leste officially became ASEAN’s 11th member state on Oct 26, 2025, after it had first applied for membership to the regional grouping in 2011 and was granted observer status in 2022.
PM Wong will also meet PM Gusmao and witness the signing of a memorandum of understanding on the establishment of bilateral consultations. Both leaders will also hold a joint press conference.
PM Gusmao will also host PM Wong to a state banquet lunch.
PM Wong will be accompanied on the trip by Mrs Wong, Minister for Foreign Affairs Vivian Balakrishnan, who had visited Timor-Leste in July 2023, and officials from the Prime Minister’s Office and Foreign Ministry.
At a reception in the capital Dili, he will meet Singaporeans living in Timor-Leste. There are about 50 to 60 Singaporeans based there.
Bilateral relations between Singapore and Timor-Leste have developed steadily over the years, with the establishment of Singapore’s resident embassy in Dili in April 2024 and the appointment of its first resident ambassador to the city in April 2026.
As one of the first countries to contribute to the International Force East Timor in August 1999, Singapore had deployed over 1,000 military personnel, including medical teams and combat peacekeepers, and equipment such as landing ship tanks and UH-1H helicopters between 1999 and 2012.
Singapore also launched the Singapore-Timor-Leste ASEAN Readiness Support (Stars) package in December 2022 to provide practical skills and knowledge training for Timorese officials to participate effectively in ASEAN meetings, and education capacity building.
An enhanced Stars (eStars) package was launched in July 2025 and includes a high-level leadership programme, postgraduate scholarships, and training in specific areas such as international law and vocational education.
Trade flow between the two countries is currently driven by Singapore’s exports to Timor-Leste. These are mainly mineral fuels and oils, machinery and mechanical appliances, and dairy and animal products.
During PM Wong’s absence, Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong will be acting prime minister.