Wang Yi visit: Singapore pledges to work with China amid US overtures

In a meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Singapore’s PM Lee Hsien Loong praised cooperation on the coronavirus and said the city state welcomed Beijing’s efforts to build a “harmonious and peaceful world”

The Chinese diplomat addressed the US-China feud over the origins of Covid-19, telling a Singaporean official the row risked jeopardising recovery efforts

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Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi meets Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong at the Istana, or Presidential Palace, in Singapore. Photo: EPA

Published: 8:57pm, 14 Sep 2021Updated: 10:33pm, 14 Sep 2021

Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Tuesday sought to emphasise that bilateral ties with China remained on an even keel after holding talks with the visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.

Wang’s two-day visit to the city state was the third stop in a tour of the region that has already taken in Cambodia and Vietnam.

The Chinese diplomat is due to arrive in South Korea later on Tuesday.

“We reaffirmed the long-standing ties between our countries, and had a productive and candid discussion on international and regional developments,” Lee wrote on Facebook after meeting Wang in the presidential palace, the Istana.

“Despite challenging global circumstances in this pandemic, we have continued working closely, sharing resources and expertise to better manage the outbreak,” he said.

“Singapore welcomes China’s continued contribution in our part of the world, and will continue working with China to build a more harmonious and peaceful world.”