Former Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong is currently on his 15th China visit, but first in the capacity of a Senior Minister. Lee, who stepped down as Prime Minister in May 2024, is visiting the second most populous country in the world from November 24-29, 2024. As per an official statement, SM Lee will visit Suzhou (Jiangsu Province), Beijing, and Shanghai during his six-day trip.
Lee, who served as the third Prime Minister of Singapore from 2004 to 2024, visited China 14 times during his stint. In Suzhou, SM Lee will take part in commemorative activities for the 30th anniversary of the China-Singapore Suzhou Industrial Park (SIP), together with Vice Premier of the State Council He Lifeng.
“This is a significant milestone for the first Government-to-Government project between Singapore and China. Senior Minister Lee will meet and be hosted to lunch by Vice Premier He, and deliver remarks at the Roundtable on ‘High Quality Development in the SIP’. Senior Minister Lee will also visit the SIP 30-Year Achievement exhibition, participate in a tree-planting ceremony, and visit the exhibition centres of new joint projects by Singapore companies in the SIP,” the statement from Prime Minister’s Office read.
Hello from Suzhou, China! This year is the 30th anniversary of Suzhou Industrial Park, Singapore’s first Government-to-Government project with China, and we are marking it with a series of commemorative events. – LHL https://t.co/hgwFqSqhkE pic.twitter.com/R10NUnBACi
— leehsienloong (@leehsienloong) November 25, 2024
SM Lee was among the first batch of Singapore officials who were involved with SIP. In 1994, then as Deputy Prime Minister, Lee was made the first co-chair of the Joint Steering Council for the SIP.
In Beijing, Lee will call on and be hosted to dinner by Chinese President Xi Jinping. Senior Minister Lee will also meet Wang Huning, Chairman of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference.
In Shanghai, he will meet and be hosted to lunch by the Shanghai leadership. SM Lee will also meet the overseas Singaporean diaspora in Shanghai.
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The Senior Minister is accompanied by Mrs Lee, Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister for Education and Minister-in-charge of the Suzhou Industrial Park Chan Chun Sing, Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of National Development, Sim Ann, Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Trade and Industry and Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth, Low Yen Ling, and officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Trade and Industry, and the Prime Minister’s Office.
