Lee said “rational communication” was needed in the face of the challenges posed by the global health crisis and that Singapore “is willing to maintain high-level exchanges” with China.

As its relationship with Washington has steadily deteriorated, Beijing has sought to bolster ties with its regional neighbours.

“China values its relationship with Singapore deeply,” said Dylan Loh, an assistant professor of public policy and global affairs at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore.

“In that sense, China knows it has to invest diplomatic work to deepen cooperation and reduce mistrust. Just as American goodwill is not pre-given, Chinese influence requires sustained work,” he said.

Chong Ja Ian, an associate professor of political science at the National University of Singapore, said the city state might seek to “move forward on economic cooperation to make up for the negative economic consequences stemming from the Covid-19 pandemic”.

Meanwhile, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi hosted his Indonesian counterpart, Retno Marsudi, on the Chinese island province of Hainan on Thursday.

Wang said “external forces” were stirring up trouble in the South China Sea and threatening regional stability.

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Retno, who is the first foreign minister to visit China since the country reopened its borders, said on Twitter that Indonesia had signed a memorandum of understanding with Sinovac Biotech, which is working on a coronavirus vaccine, under which the Chinese company “committed to provide vaccines in bulk to Indonesia as well as technological transfer for developing a Covid-19 vaccine and other future cooperation”.

China and Indonesia also recently agreed to open a “fast-lane channel” for people exchanges “to ensure smooth industry and supply chains, and support each other’s economic recoveries”, the foreign ministry in Beijing said.