Then, both sides agreed to upgrade relations to an all-round, high-quality, future-oriented partnership, a move they said reflected a desire to “set the strategic direction and chart the development of bilateral relations going forward”.

Chinese President Xi Jinping told Lee during their meeting that bilateral ties were a priority for its regional diplomacy, and that Beijing was ready to strengthen strategic communication with the island republic.

Li became China’s premier – its No 2 official – in March.

Dylan Loh, an assistant professor in foreign policy at Nanyang Technological University, described the visit as “timely” as it afforded both sets of emerging leaders some face time and “a feel of each other” as they were likely to be working closely moving forward.

Wong would also now lead efforts to strengthen bilateral cooperation under the Joint Council for Bilateral Cooperation (JCBC), taking over the co-chair position from Heng Swee Keat, also a deputy prime minister in Singapore.

Wong also met Chinese Vice-Premier Ding Xuexiang, with whom he would co-chair the JCBC.

Chong Ja Ian, professor of political science at the National University of Singapore, said Wong fronting ties with China – a key trading partner of Singapore – “simply shows that he is having more responsibility for an important relationship”.

Wong’s trip had added significance as it came on the back of Prime Minister Lee’s visit, Loh said, adding that “there is a sense that both countries can do more to further deepen ties” given their cultural affinities.

Similarly, Chong said the Li-Wong meeting indicated a mutual desire to push forward cooperation “driven at the senior levels”.

Zha Daojiong, a professor at Peking University’s School of International Studies, saw Wong’s trip as a “continuation of the tradition of government-to-government interactions” between China and Singapore.

He noted that Singapore government leaders “stand out among their international peers” for such trips as they also visited localities beyond Beijing.

Earlier this week, Wong was in Shanghai on the first leg of his trip, where he visited Ant Group, a fintech affiliate of Alibaba Group Holding, and electric car company Nio.

He also held meetings with Chen Jining, Secretary of the Communist Party of China Shanghai Municipal Committee, and Shanghai Mayor Gong Zheng.

“Wong’s itinerary should be read as both sides [placing] emphasis on deliverables out of such trips,” Zha said, adding that city governments in China play a key role in realising country-based cooperation.

The sequence of Wong’s China swing was “conducive to mutual assurance of making the trip productive” as Li was formerly municipal leader in Shanghai, Zha noted.

Shanghai, as China’s financial centre, could also be an area for further commercial cooperation, Chong said.

“As a commercial hub, both sides may be looking to develop opportunities created by current limitations on Chinese economic exchanges with North America and Europe,” he said.

Washington had earlier imposed sweeping tech sanctions on China and European Union President Ursula von der Leyen had in March urged countries to develop measures to protect trade and investment that Beijing could potentially exploit for its security.

“Singapore is one of several relationships that China is cultivating in their efforts to access trade and technologies in the face of existing and potentially increasing restrictions,” said Chong, adding that Beijing was also building deeper ties with other Southeast Asian countries.

“Singapore may be one of the stops in China’s efforts to re-engage the world, but it is not the only one.”