MFA will forge bilateral and regional ties even as it helps Singaporeans in distress overseas

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SINGAPORE - Singapore’s bilateral relations with China remain excellent, anchored by cooperation in various areas such as healthcare, sustainability and tourism, as well as engagement between leaders from both sides, said Senior Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Sim Ann on Monday in Parliament. Speaking in Mandarin on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ (MFA) outreach and engagement plans, Ms Sim highlighted long-standing initiatives such as the 18-year-old Joint Council for Bilateral Cooperation (JCBC) and the government-to-government projects in Suzhou, Tianjin and Chongqing as a reflection of the “breadth and depth of Singapore-China cooperation”. She also noted the good engagement between leaders on both sides, with President Halimah Yacob meeting Chinese President Xi Jinping, and Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong meeting Chinese Premier Li Keqiang in 2022. Singapore also welcomed several delegations from China including, notably, Vice Premier Han Zheng for the 18th JCBC in 2022. Ms Sim said that in-person meetings, especially with Chinese adjusting its pandemic management approach, are necessary to build trust. She also called Singapore’s relationship with the US “excellent”, noting the visits by key members of President Joe Biden’s administration such as then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin to Singapore last year. Read more at straitstimes.com.