https://www.scmp.com/rss/503128/feed en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Ji Siqi Ji Siqi The prime ministers of South Korea and Singapore will be among the world leaders attending this month’s Boao Forum for Asia, three sources said, adding to a growing string of leaders from developed economies who have visited China this year. The annual conference is scheduled to be held in Boao, Hainan province, from March 24 to 27, its organiser announced earlier. Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong Shyun Tsai’s most recent trip to China was in June, when he met President Xi Jinping and... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3345739/prime-ministers-singapore-south-korea-attend-months-boao-forum-asia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3345739/prime-ministers-singapore-south-korea-attend-months-boao-forum-asia?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 07 Mar 2026 02:00:10 +0000 Orange Wang Orange Wang Singapore and China share “common interests” in safeguarding international order amid profound changes in the global landscape and uncertainties from trade wars, according to the city state’s top envoy to Beijing. The world has faced increased challenges, with huge pressure on multilateralism, free trade, and openness since the beginning of last year, Peter Tan Hai Chuan, Singapore’s ambassador to China, warned at an event at Renmin University in Beijing on Tuesday. “But Singapore and China have... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3345391/singapore-and-china-have-common-interests-safeguarding-global-order-says-ambassador?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3345391/singapore-and-china-have-common-interests-safeguarding-global-order-says-ambassador?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Mar 2026 09:00:08 +0000 Enoch Yiu Enoch Yiu Hong Kong and Singapore are set to be the biggest winners in attracting new capital inflows as global investors diversify their asset allocations amid geopolitical risks and trade tensions, according to the top executive at DBS Group. The two Asian financial centres would be the best choice for international investors who previously held overweight positions in US markets but now sought to diversify their portfolios, Tan Su Shan, CEO of the largest lender in Southeast Asia, said in an interview... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3342823/hong-kong-singapore-be-biggest-winners-global-capital-flows-shift-asia-dbs-ceo?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3342823/hong-kong-singapore-be-biggest-winners-global-capital-flows-shift-asia-dbs-ceo?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Feb 2026 23:00:15 +0000 Jean Iau Jean Iau Singapore should seek deeper integration of new Chinese immigrants to guard against any possibility that the demographic may be used as instruments for “China’s interests”, a former diplomat from the city state has warned. In an essay published in the newly launched (Re)Defining Singapore, Bilahari Kausikan, an ex-permanent secretary at Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, argued that the relationship between the city state and China was unique in light of it being the only country outside... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3333291/singapore-must-not-allow-china-cross-red-line-domestic-interests-ex-diplomat?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3333291/singapore-must-not-allow-china-cross-red-line-domestic-interests-ex-diplomat?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 18 Nov 2025 11:55:35 +0000 Kolette Lim Kolette Lim Singapore’s ambitions to lead the world in green shipping are picking up steam, with a new agreement with China poised to enhance the city state’s decarbonisation efforts and cement its role as a key hub for alternative fuels. The partnership, signed last month, aims to establish a digital and green shipping corridor between the two countries, and promote maritime decarbonisation, innovation and greater supply chain efficiency. The deal could give Singapore a competitive edge by plugging it... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3332718/how-singapores-bid-green-shipping-leadership-gaining-traction-chinas-help?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3332718/how-singapores-bid-green-shipping-leadership-gaining-traction-chinas-help?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 14 Nov 2025 02:30:12 +0000 Liu Zhen Liu Zhen China will work with Singapore to maintain regional stability and maritime order, Beijing’s top-ranked military officer told Singapore’s defence minister on Wednesday. General Zhang Youxia, a vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), offered the commitment during talks with Chan Chun Sing on the sidelines of the Beijing Xiangshan Forum. “China is willing to work with Singapore to … strengthen regional security cooperation, support each other’s core interests, maintain maritime... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3325909/china-ready-work-singapore-regional-stability-top-military-officer-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3325909/china-ready-work-singapore-regional-stability-top-military-officer-says?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 17 Sep 2025 14:21:10 +0000 Jean Iau Jean Iau Singapore’s Coordinating Minister for National Security K Shanmugam has met China’s envoy to the city state Cao Zhongming to discuss security cooperation, with the ambassador posting on social media that both men had “in-depth exchanges on bilateral relations”. Cao added on his Facebook page on Thursday that he and Shanmugam, who is also Singapore’s home affairs minister, had discussed “law enforcement and security cooperation”. “Taking the 35th anniversary of our diplomatic ties as an... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3321223/singapores-shanmugam-meets-china-envoy-bilateral-security-talks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3321223/singapores-shanmugam-meets-china-envoy-bilateral-security-talks?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 08 Aug 2025 09:02:28 +0000 Reuters Reuters In a multipolar world, small countries like Singapore have to develop even deeper relationships with other nations, Singapore’s Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam said on Wednesday. “There are more powers playing the game as it were, as opposed to the time when the Americans held the peace across the world. So that’s changing, and in such a context, small countries like us have to develop even deeper relationships,” said Shanmugam, pointing to China, the United States and Europe. Shanmugam, who... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3317492/singapore-stresses-deeper-ties-china-us-and-europe-amid-shift-global-order?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3317492/singapore-stresses-deeper-ties-china-us-and-europe-amid-shift-global-order?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 09 Jul 2025 04:30:11 +0000 Wang Huiyao Wang Huiyao The recent visit of Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong to China reaffirmed the strategic depth of the China–Singapore relationship. His meetings with Chinese leaders underscored a readiness to work together to uphold the principles of free trade and multilateralism. But beyond symbolism, this visit raised critical questions. What role will Singapore now play on the global and regional stage? What new possibilities does this moment unlock? As geopolitical rivalry hardens and the risks of... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3316985/how-singapore-can-help-china-build-bridges-age-fracture?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3316985/how-singapore-can-help-china-build-bridges-age-fracture?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 06 Jul 2025 08:30:08 +0000 An excerpt An excerpt In his new memoir Ink and Influence: An OB Markers Sequel, Cheong Yip Seng reflects on the intersection of geopolitics, media, and identity through the lens of his long career as editor-in-chief of The Straits Times. In this excerpt, Cheong recounts a revealing moment during an official visit to China in 1976 with then-prime minister Lee Kuan Yew. Among the officials present was S.R. Nathan, later Singapore’s sixth president, who witnessed Lee subtly rebuff a Chinese attempt to influence the... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3317011/why-singapores-identity-demanded-distance-china-and-its-own-story-nationhood?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3317011/why-singapores-identity-demanded-distance-china-and-its-own-story-nationhood?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 05 Jul 2025 01:30:21 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong chose China for his first state visit outside Southeast Asia since he won the general election in May. That was a clear message as it came at a time of intense rivalry between China and the United States. All his predecessors since Lee Kuan Yew treasured the stable bilateral relations between the two countries, and Wong is saying he is no exception. One of the high-profile events he attended was the “Summer Davos” in Tianjin. Meanwhile, he has extended an... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3316480/china-singapore-relations-steadying-force-amid-global-uncertainty?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3316480/china-singapore-relations-steadying-force-amid-global-uncertainty?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 01 Jul 2025 22:45:07 +0000 Dewey Sim Dewey Sim Southeast Asian countries can shape their own destiny amid the deepening US-China rivalry, and the region seeks to be an “inclusive arena” where both powers are actively engaged, according to Singapore’s prime minister. Lawrence Wong, speaking on Wednesday at a dialogue as part of a World Economic Forum (WEF) meeting in Tianjin, said countries from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) collectively made up a sizeable economy with “considerable heft”. “Asean has the ability to shape... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3315817/asean-can-shape-its-own-destiny-amid-us-china-rivalry-singapore-pm-wong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3315817/asean-can-shape-its-own-destiny-amid-us-china-rivalry-singapore-pm-wong?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Jun 2025 11:56:18 +0000 Dewey Sim Dewey Sim Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for Singapore and China to work together to “stand on the right side of history” and push for an equal multipolar world, in Beijing’s latest effort to present itself as a stabilising force amid escalating geopolitical and trade tensions. Xi made the remarks on Tuesday morning as he met with Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, who is on a five-day official visit to China. Xi said the two countries – which are marking 35 years of diplomatic relations... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3315619/xi-urges-singapore-join-china-right-side-history-he-meets-pm-wong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3315619/xi-urges-singapore-join-china-right-side-history-he-meets-pm-wong?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Jun 2025 08:00:22 +0000 Dewey Sim Dewey Sim China and Singapore should work together to safeguard global supply chains, Chinese Premier Li Qiang said on Monday as Beijing seeks deeper ties with neighbouring countries to help offset trade tensions with Washington. In talks with Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Li said bilateral ties had continued to strengthen, and the two countries were “friendly neighbours and important partners”. “China is willing to maintain close high-level exchanges... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3315537/china-looks-singapore-help-secure-global-supply-chains-us-trade-war-turmoil?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3315537/china-looks-singapore-help-secure-global-supply-chains-us-trade-war-turmoil?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Jun 2025 13:46:11 +0000 Dewey Sim Dewey Sim Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong will visit China next week, on a trip that is expected to give Beijing a chance to promote itself as a reliable partner for Southeast Asian countries and a defender of multilateralism. China will also be keen to reassure Singapore that the Chinese economy is “back on track” as it gears up for a trade war with the United States, according to analysts. It will be Wong’s first trip to China since becoming prime minister in May 2024. The visit follows his... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3315217/singapore-leaders-visit-gives-china-chance-pitch-itself-reliable-partner-asean?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3315217/singapore-leaders-visit-gives-china-chance-pitch-itself-reliable-partner-asean?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Jun 2025 09:00:11 +0000 Kimberly Lim,Jean Iau Kimberly Lim,Jean Iau It is “incumbent” on nations to reach out to China to avoid misinterpretation and misunderstanding, Singapore’s defence minister has said, as he urged Beijing to use every opportunity to make its perspective known to the world. Chan Chun Sing on Sunday told delegates at the Shangri-La Dialogue (SLD) in Singapore that it was beneficial for all sides to work with China and vice versa. He also sought to soothe tensions after the Chinese side protested against comments made by US defence chief Pete... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3312635/singapore-minister-tells-nations-build-bridges-china-avoid-misconception?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3312635/singapore-minister-tells-nations-build-bridges-china-avoid-misconception?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 01 Jun 2025 07:04:25 +0000 SCMP’s Asia desk SCMP’s Asia desk Chinese Premier Li Qiang sent a congratulatory message to Singapore’s Prime Minister Lawrence Wong on his second term in office on Friday. Wong announced his first Cabinet for on Wednesday, about two weeks after his People’s Action Party won 65.57 per cent of the nationwide vote at the poll. Li said both countries were friendly neighbors and important cooperation partners, enjoying a sound development of relations and fruitful results in cooperation in various fields, which had greatly advanced... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3311653/chinas-li-qiang-congratulates-singapores-wong-win-looks-forward-friendly-ties?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3311653/chinas-li-qiang-congratulates-singapores-wong-win-looks-forward-friendly-ties?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 24 May 2025 06:15:28 +0000 CNA CNA Singaporean actress Eleanor Lee has broken her silence on the online uproar related to a leaked audio clip allegedly of the 25-year-old making derogatory comments about Chinese nationals. The furore began when a netizen claiming to be Lee’s former assistant released a 30-second audio recording on Chinese social media platform Weibo in April. In the recording, a woman can be heard saying she is “doing this not for fame, but for money” and that “most people in China are idiots”. Lee took to social... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3310000/singaporean-actress-eleanor-lee-denies-idiot-chinese-comment-definitely-not-what-i-said?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3310000/singaporean-actress-eleanor-lee-denies-idiot-chinese-comment-definitely-not-what-i-said?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 12 May 2025 08:32:45 +0000 Singaporean police charged three men for allegedly defrauding an unnamed supplier of computing servers, casting a spotlight on local intermediaries’ role in funnelling Nvidia Corp. chips around the world. The case centres on whether the trio played a role in misleading the server supplier, including by misrepresenting the actual end-user of the hardware, according to their charge sheets. Two Singaporean men, 41 and 49, were charged for criminal conspiracy to commit fraud, while a Chinese... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3300526/3-men-singapore-charged-over-nvidia-server-fraud-linked-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3300526/3-men-singapore-charged-over-nvidia-server-fraud-linked-china?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 28 Feb 2025 07:21:35 +0000 China said it would allow tour groups from Asean countries to visit Xishuangbanna – an area in the southwestern province of Yunnan known for its ethnic minority cultures – without a visa for up to six days. The policy, announced by the National Immigration Administration on Monday, took effect immediately. The new measure applies to groups of two or more passport holders from member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. The bloc’s members are Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3298065/china-grants-asean-tour-groups-visa-free-access-yunnan-travel-hub?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3298065/china-grants-asean-tour-groups-visa-free-access-yunnan-travel-hub?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 10 Feb 2025 08:14:49 +0000 China’s top military official held security talks with his Pakistani counterpart on Wednesday amid joint counterterrorism drills in the wake of several attacks targeting Chinese interests and citizens in the South Asian country. Zhang Youxia, vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), met Pakistani Chief of Army Staff Syed Asim Munir during a visit to Pakistan, vowing to strengthen ties as the two countries held their first joint anti-terrorism drills in five years. Their talks... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3288560/china-and-pakistan-talk-security-they-target-terrorism-against-belt-and-road-projects?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3288560/china-and-pakistan-talk-security-they-target-terrorism-against-belt-and-road-projects?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 28 Nov 2024 12:26:04 +0000 Chinese President Xi Jinping has said he is confident about China’s economic prospects in a meeting with Singapore’s former prime minister Lee Hsien Loong. He also told Lee that China welcomes taking part in “major cooperation projects with high standards, grasping the opportunities of digital and green development, and continuing to write a new chapter of China-Singapore cooperation”, according to state broadcaster CCTV. He added: “China is confident in maintaining its long-term economic upturn... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3288195/chinese-leader-xi-jinping-meets-ex-singapore-prime-minister-lee-hsien-loong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3288195/chinese-leader-xi-jinping-meets-ex-singapore-prime-minister-lee-hsien-loong?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 26 Nov 2024 09:02:19 +0000 Singapore’s former prime minister, Lee Hsien Loong, has warned it would be “short-sighted” to discount China, citing its ability to follow consistent policies over the long term and the people’s resolve to succeed. He said the world’s second-largest economy was facing different challenges after almost five decades of rapid growth following its reform and opening up process, including a property crisis and shrinking population, as well as rising tensions with the United States. But Lee, who is... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3288057/never-underestimate-chinese-people-says-ex-singapore-prime-minister-lee-hsien-loong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3288057/never-underestimate-chinese-people-says-ex-singapore-prime-minister-lee-hsien-loong?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 25 Nov 2024 10:03:28 +0000 Former Singaporean prime minister Lee Hsien Loong will pay a six-day visit to China starting on Sunday, according to the Chinese foreign ministry. Lee, now a senior minister, is one of China’s most frequently visiting foreign leaders – having made more than 10 trips as prime minister in the two decades from 2004. He visited most recently in March last year, when he met Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang. This will be Lee’s first visit since stepping down as prime minister in May,... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3287771/singapores-lee-hsien-loong-set-first-china-trip-stepping-down-prime-minister?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3287771/singapores-lee-hsien-loong-set-first-china-trip-stepping-down-prime-minister?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 22 Nov 2024 10:38:55 +0000 China’s Vice-Premier Ding Xuexiang and Singapore’s Prime Minister Lawrence Wong on Monday reaffirmed close ties between the two countries and explored cooperation in areas such as trade and sustainable development during Ding’s two-day visit to the city state. Ding, who is a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, co-chairs the 20th Joint Council for Bilateral Cooperation (JCBC) with Singapore’s Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3286100/singapores-pm-wong-and-chinas-vice-premier-ding-reaffirm-positive-momentum-ties?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3286100/singapores-pm-wong-and-chinas-vice-premier-ding-reaffirm-positive-momentum-ties?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 11 Nov 2024 11:27:41 +0000 It would be “very unwise to write off China” despite the economic headwinds Beijing is battling, Singapore’s former prime minister Lee Hsien Loong says, stressing that both the US and China share the same “danger of underestimating one another”. Lee on Friday also said the city state welcomed Chinese entrepreneurs and businesses but warned that they must abide by local laws and integrate into Singaporean society. The senior minister was speaking at an evening fireside chat at the FutureChina... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3283003/singapores-ex-pm-lee-hsien-loong-says-unwise-write-china-despite-economic-headwinds?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3283003/singapores-ex-pm-lee-hsien-loong-says-unwise-write-china-despite-economic-headwinds?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 18 Oct 2024 14:35:14 +0000 The Singapore defence chief’s visit to China to attend a premier annual security conference could be a demonstration of the city state’s aims to build defence ties with both Washington and Beijing, observers said. They said Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen was likely to share Singapore’s concerns over regional issues including Taiwan and tensions in the South China Sea as he met Beijing’s key security officials on the sidelines of the Xiangshan Forum. Ng raised the South China Sea issue in his speech... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3278416/singapore-defence-chiefs-beijing-forum-trip-part-us-china-balancing-act-analysts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3278416/singapore-defence-chiefs-beijing-forum-trip-part-us-china-balancing-act-analysts?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Sep 2024 09:07:47 +0000 China and Singapore must strengthen their strategic coordination and communication amid a world of turmoil, foreign minister Wang Yi told his visiting counterpart Vivian Balakrishnan in Beijing on Monday. The meeting was their second in less than two months after the envoys spoke on the sidelines of a regional ministerial conference in Vientiane, Laos, on July 27. “China is willing to work with Singapore to better connect each other’s development strategies and put into practice the new... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3277843/china-and-singapore-must-boost-coordination-stabilising-forces-wang-yi-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3277843/china-and-singapore-must-boost-coordination-stabilising-forces-wang-yi-says?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Sep 2024 17:30:37 +0000 China started a five-day joint maritime exercise with Singapore on Sunday to “promote practical exchanges and cooperation”, between the two countries, the Chinese defence ministry said. The opening ceremony of China-Singapore Exercise Maritime Cooperation 2024 was held at a military port in Zhanjiang, Guangdong province, in southern China on Sunday, state news agency Xinhua said. It is the third time the exercise has been held since it started in 2015. These drills, expected to take place until... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3276822/china-and-singapore-embark-bigger-joint-navy-exercise-south-china-sea-tension-rises?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3276822/china-and-singapore-embark-bigger-joint-navy-exercise-south-china-sea-tension-rises?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Sep 2024 06:00:13 +0000 A Singapore Navy frigate arrived in Zhanjiang on Thursday ahead of the bilateral Exercise Maritime Cooperation with the People’s Liberation Army (Navy), marking what the city state said was part of its efforts to build “mutual understanding and cooperation” with foreign partners. Singapore’s Ministry of Defence said in a statement that the Formidable-class frigate RSS Stalwart, which berthed at Ma Xie Naval Base, would be used in the exercise from September 1 to 5. This year’s Exercise Maritime... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3276451/singapore-navy-frigate-arrives-chinas-zhanjiang-bilateral-exercise?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3276451/singapore-navy-frigate-arrives-chinas-zhanjiang-bilateral-exercise?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 29 Aug 2024 12:20:41 +0000 The Communist Party chief of Xinjiang has held talks with top executives from Singapore’s sovereign wealth fund Temasek, as the western Chinese region continues its efforts to boost foreign investment. Ma Xingrui, party secretary for the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, met Temasek chairman Lim Boon Heng and executive director and CEO Dilhan Pillay Sandrasegara in the regional capital Urumqi on Monday, the official Xinjiang Daily reported. One focus of the talks was the energy sector, including... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3275213/chinas-xinjiang-party-chief-ma-xingrui-meets-top-temasek-executives-singapore?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3275213/chinas-xinjiang-party-chief-ma-xingrui-meets-top-temasek-executives-singapore?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 21 Aug 2024 02:00:11 +0000 Singapore’s two largest law firms are expanding in China, banking on a trend of Chinese companies venturing overseas even as some of their global peers pull back from the world’s second-largest economy. Rajah & Tann Asia is set to open a representative outpost with an initial 10 lawyers in Qianhai, Shenzhen in October, head of the Shenzhen office Hew Kian Heong said by phone. The office in the Chinese tech hub will focus on international arbitration as well as construction, technology, media and... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3270795/singapore-law-firms-expand-china-global-peers-retreat-mainland?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3270795/singapore-law-firms-expand-china-global-peers-retreat-mainland?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 17 Jul 2024 08:22:02 +0000 Singapore goalkeeper Hassan Sunny has asked Chinese football fans to stop sending him money after his food stall was deluged with QR-code monetary transfers and gifts following his unlikely role in keeping their World Cup dreams alive. The 40-year-old became a hero overnight in the country of 1.4 billion people after his saves during Singapore’s match at Thailand helped China squeeze into the next qualifying round. China’s hopes of reaching the third stage of Asian qualifying for 2026 were... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3266660/singapore-keeper-hassan-sunny-asks-china-football-fans-stop-sending-him-heroics-money?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3266660/singapore-keeper-hassan-sunny-asks-china-football-fans-stop-sending-him-heroics-money?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 14 Jun 2024 10:13:51 +0000 Taiwan has become “one of the most dangerous flashpoints” in the region as the US-mainland China rivalry intensifies, Singapore Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong said on Friday. “Taiwan is one of the most sensitive issues in US-China relations,” Gan said at the Nikkei Forum in Tokyo. “Any clash in the Taiwan Strait will have dire consequences not just for the parties involved, but the entire world.” Gan’s remarks come as Beijing started its most expansive military drills in a year around... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3263905/singapore-says-taiwan-one-most-dangerous-flashpoints-beijings-rivalry-us?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3263905/singapore-says-taiwan-one-most-dangerous-flashpoints-beijings-rivalry-us?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 24 May 2024 04:15:55 +0000 While Russian President Vladimir Putin visited China on May 16 and 17, Moscow and Beijing issued a statement about “deepening the comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for the new era”, heralding a further boost to bilateral ties. And the recent headline-grabbing tour by Chinese President Xi Jinping to Europe this month was not just about official visits and state dinners. It marked a strategic deepening of China-Hungary ties to the level of “all-weather comprehensive strategic... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3263798/all-weather-strategic-partnership-or-friendly-relationship-what-look-when-china-names-ties-other?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3263798/all-weather-strategic-partnership-or-friendly-relationship-what-look-when-china-names-ties-other?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 23 May 2024 11:00:09 +0000 Before Lee Hsien Loong handed over the leadership of Singapore to Lawrence Wong on Wednesday, he identified bilateral relations with China as some of the city state’s most important. Though Lee will remain in the cabinet as senior minister, it will be up to Prime Minister Wong to shepherd Singapore-China relations. What legacy, on this front, does Lee leave for his successor? Lee’s term as prime minister saw Singapore deal with two different administrations in China – Hu Jintao as party general... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3263137/singapore-china-ties-lawrence-wong-inherits-lee-hsien-loong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3263137/singapore-china-ties-lawrence-wong-inherits-lee-hsien-loong?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 19 May 2024 02:30:18 +0000 Singapore is a beacon of stability. Its carefully planned and orchestrated leadership handover is a reminder of that. Lawrence Wong is only the fourth prime minister of the city state since it declared independence in 1965. It is such exceptional continuity amid external turbulence that has focused attention. There is no reason to expect any disruptive movement in Singapore’s position or the way it sees the world. Foreign policy objectives will not change under Wong. Priorities are stability and... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/article/3263220/stability-remains-priority-new-leader-singapore?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/article/3263220/stability-remains-priority-new-leader-singapore?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 18 May 2024 20:00:29 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow Soon after Lawrence Wong was sworn in on Wednesday as Singapore’s fourth prime minister since the city’s independence, a mix of online content from media members and observers found its way onto Chinese social media. A video titled “Greetings from Hainan Island in China” appears to show a banner being put up in front of the Huang ancestral hall in Wenchang, Hainan – said to be Wong’s ancestral home – congratulating him on his appointment to Singapore’s top job. Wong’s family name is Huang in... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3262961/singapore-pm-lawrence-wongs-ancestral-ties-spark-chinese-social-media-interest-pride-hainan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3262961/singapore-pm-lawrence-wongs-ancestral-ties-spark-chinese-social-media-interest-pride-hainan?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 May 2024 13:11:03 +0000 This story has been made freely available as a public service to our readers. Please consider supporting SCMP’s journalism by subscribing. Lawrence Wong was sworn in at the Istana on Wednesday night as the fourth prime minister of Singapore in only the country’s third leadership transition since independence in 1965. At 51, Wong is the first among equals in his generation of younger leaders called the fourth generation, or 4G, who will steer the city state at a time of intensifying great power... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3262771/lawrence-wong-take-over-singapore-pm-country-sees-only-its-3rd-leadership-change-independence?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3262771/lawrence-wong-take-over-singapore-pm-country-sees-only-its-3rd-leadership-change-independence?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 May 2024 11:22:44 +0000 When Lee Hsien Loong took over as the third prime minister of Singapore in 2004, the United States was mired in a war in Iraq aimed at depriving it of its supposed weapons of mass destruction and ending “Saddam Hussein’s support for terrorism”. Then-US secretary of state Colin Powell said his country’s relations with China were in the “best state” since former US president Richard Nixon travelled to Beijing for a historic meeting with top Chinese leader Mao Zedong in 1972. By contrast, Lee’s... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3262591/pro-singapore-lawrence-wong-and-us-china-balancing-act-he-faces-prime-minister?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3262591/pro-singapore-lawrence-wong-and-us-china-balancing-act-he-faces-prime-minister?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 May 2024 05:03:25 +0000 A widely shared TikTok clip by a user claiming to show some Singaporeans’ distaste at being labelled Chinese has sparked an online debate on whether residents of the city state have shunned their ancestral roots, while others warn against conflating the two identities. The user, who implied he came from China, said in the 36-second video he was shocked to discover that Singaporeans were cold on being considered “compatriots” with mainlanders, suggesting that citizens of the Chinese-majority... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3262153/im-singaporean-not-chinese-tiktok-video-sparks-debate-over-shunning-roots?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3262153/im-singaporean-not-chinese-tiktok-video-sparks-debate-over-shunning-roots?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 May 2024 06:45:58 +0000 For the first time, a majority in Southeast Asia favour alignment with China over the US, according to “The State of Southeast Asia 2024” survey by the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute in Singapore. The survey’s accuracy in reflecting mass opinion has been questioned, given its elite group of respondents – which included government officials, researchers, pundits and businessmen – and the weighting applied to each country’s response. But it still offers valuable insights for leaders in the United... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3258823/survive-us-china-rivalry-asean-must-work-dial-down-tensions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3258823/survive-us-china-rivalry-asean-must-work-dial-down-tensions?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 14 Apr 2024 12:30:19 +0000 The peddling of fake information about Singapore on Chinese social media is not a new phenomenon, but the latest video making the rounds appears to reflect a desire by Chinese nationals for better civic behaviour in their own public spheres. Several days ago, a mainland Chinese friend sent me a video on Chinese messaging app WeChat, warning about the apparent penalties one could face for committing “misdemeanours” in Singapore. The video was one of many circulating on Chinese social media,... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3254443/china-fake-news-about-singapore-reflects-hopes-better-civic-behaviour?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3254443/china-fake-news-about-singapore-reflects-hopes-better-civic-behaviour?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 08 Mar 2024 02:00:26 +0000 China’s latest Z-10ME attack helicopter is on display at the Singapore Airshow, the first time it has been featured in an overseas exhibition. Analysts said the international debut indicated China was on the lookout for new buyers as global weapons demand soars. The Z-10 is already in service with the People’s Liberation Army, and is among the helicopter models used in drills on the border with India and near Taiwan. State-owned Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC), one of the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3252744/china-debuts-latest-z-10me-attack-helicopter-singapore-air-show?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3252744/china-debuts-latest-z-10me-attack-helicopter-singapore-air-show?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 21 Feb 2024 13:13:14 +0000 Singapore’s glitzy Marina Bay Sands resort was packed with tourists throughout the Lunar New Year holiday week, one of the biggest times for travel in China. The upmarket shopping centre and casino was abuzz with holidaymakers making the most of the eight-day break and a new mutual visa waiver agreement with Beijing, which took effect on February 9, the eve of the annual vacation. Under the agreement, travellers can now enjoy visa-free stays in either country for up to 30 days, extending the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3252280/ni-hao-singapore-chinas-lunar-new-year-holidaymakers-revel-visa-free-travel?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3252280/ni-hao-singapore-chinas-lunar-new-year-holidaymakers-revel-visa-free-travel?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 17 Feb 2024 12:00:19 +0000 We have selected seven stories from this week’s news across Hong Kong, mainland China, the wider Asia region and beyond that resonated with our readers and shed light on topical issues. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. Chinese scientists create ‘dream bullet’ years after US abandons project After the US abandoned development of its ‘dream shell’, Chinese scientists now claim they have managed to create the smart shell for kinetic energy weapons... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3249842/hong-kong-attract-top-stars-taylor-swift-chinese-scientists-create-dream-bullet-scmps-7-highlights?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3249842/hong-kong-attract-top-stars-taylor-swift-chinese-scientists-create-dream-bullet-scmps-7-highlights?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 26 Jan 2024 04:00:08 +0000 China and Singapore will introduce a 30-day mutual visa exemption agreement from February 9 – Lunar New Year’s Eve – allowing citizens of the two countries to travel, visit families and go on business trips. The agreement was signed by representatives from the two countries on Thursday, according to China’s state broadcaster CCTV. Excitement as China’s visa-free deals could trigger Asean trade, investment boon Mainland Chinese citizens have always needed a visa to enter Singapore, while... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3249746/china-singapore-agree-visa-free-deal-travel-stays-30-days?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3249746/china-singapore-agree-visa-free-deal-travel-stays-30-days?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 25 Jan 2024 08:06:32 +0000 Singaporeans bid farewell to a two-year-old panda cub on Wednesday as authorities prepared to send him to China, where he will join the country’s breeding programme. Le Le, the first panda to be born in the city state, made his final public appearance at the River Wonders wildlife park before a month-long quarantine ahead of his departure. Dozens of visitors lined up to see Le Le amble around his enclosure, eating bamboo and carrot sticks that keepers had hidden under paper planes and inside... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3244981/singapore-born-panda-le-le-bids-farewell-city-state-trip-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3244981/singapore-born-panda-le-le-bids-farewell-city-state-trip-china?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 13 Dec 2023 20:40:08 +0000 China and Singapore have agreed to introduce a mutual 30-day visa-free travel arrangement at their annual forum. Singapore’s Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said the agreement would “enable more people-to-people exchanges, thereby fortifying the bedrock of our bilateral relations”, according to The Straits Times newspaper. Wong, who co-chaired the event in Tianjin with Chinese Vice-Premier Ding Xuexiang, also said both sides wanted to strengthen cooperation in various sectors and he hoped... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3244258/china-and-singapore-agree-let-each-others-citizens-travel-visa-free?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3244258/china-and-singapore-agree-let-each-others-citizens-travel-visa-free?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 07 Dec 2023 11:41:05 +0000 Singapore’s incoming prime minister Lawrence Wong met Chinese Premier Li Qiang in Beijing on Wednesday, where both agreed they should continue to promote “mutually beneficial cooperation” and strengthen ties between people and businesses. The meeting took place on the second day of a four-day visit by Wong to China. He will also co-chair an annual bilateral forum that analysts say will provide a key platform for the new leadership on both sides to get to know each other better. The two officials... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3244055/new-era-singapore-china-ties-lawrence-wong-eyes-stronger-partnership-beijing-trip?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3244055/new-era-singapore-china-ties-lawrence-wong-eyes-stronger-partnership-beijing-trip?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 06 Dec 2023 08:15:57 +0000