March 26, 2025
BEIJING – Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat was hosted to breakfast by Mr Liu Jianchao, Minister of the International Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC), in Beijing on March 25, kicking off a four-day working visit.
DPM Heng and Mr Liu noted that Singapore and China would be marking the 35th anniversary of diplomatic relations in 2025, as well as other bilateral milestones, such as the 10th anniversary of the Chongqing Connectivity Initiative, said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA).
The two leaders said both countries had strong people-to-people and party-to-party relations, which have enhanced mutual understanding, added MFA. They also exchanged views on regional and international developments.
In a Facebook post on his official account on March 25, DPM Heng was seen being greeted by Mr Liu with a hug on the shoulder. Ms Sun Haiyan, deputy minister of the CPC International Department and former ambassador of China to Singapore, was part of the Chinese delegation.
DPM Heng was seen presenting books to Mr Liu that included Up Close With Lee Kuan Yew, a 2016 title featuring interviews from those who have interacted with the founding prime minister.
“We are reading similar books,” said Mr Liu, upon receiving the books. DPM Heng also posted about going to the Peking Union Medical College Hospital to learn about the medical research there.
Mr Liu’s department is in charge of cultivating and maintaining relations with foreign political parties. Delegations from Singapore’s People’s Action Party and the CPC have made mutual visits in recent years.
During his China visit that started on March 24, DPM Heng is expected to meet senior Chinese officials, business leaders and personalities from different fields to boost bilateral cooperation on common interests.
In Beijing, he will attend a forum on ageing organised by Chinese-language daily Lianhe Zaobao, and speak at the Zhongguancun Forum, an annual event to discuss technological advancements from artificial intelligence to humanoid robots.
DPM Heng’s visit reaffirms the longstanding, multifaceted and strong relations between Singapore and China, said an earlier MFA statement.
Singapore’s and China’s leaders visit each other’s country regularly. Beijing party secretary Yin Li led a delegation to Singapore in February 2025, which kicked off the high-level bilateral engagements for the year. He met Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and DPM Heng, among other ministers.
The two countries also cooperate on three flagship government-to-government projects – the Suzhou Industrial Park, Tianjin Eco-city and Chongqing Connectivity Initiative.
The Chongqing project, established in 2015, focuses on cooperation in financial services, aviation, transport and logistics, as well as infocommunications technology, tapping the potential of China’s western region.
DPM Heng’s last official visit to China was in April 2024. Then, he met Chinese officials such as Vice-President Han Zheng, Vice-Premier He Lifeng and Minister of Science and Technology Yin Hejun.
On this trip, DPM Heng is accompanied by Mrs Heng and officials from MFA, the National Research Foundation, National Heritage Board and the Prime Minister’s Office.
- Lim Min Zhang is China correspondent at The Straits Times. He has an interest in Chinese politics, technology, defence and foreign policies.