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China's Vice Premier Han Zheng met with President Halimah Yacob and Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Nov. 2.

This is Han's first overseas trip since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, and he is the most senior Chinese official to have visited Singapore since the pandemic.

JCBC and warm relations

Han was in Singapore to co-chair the 18th Joint Council for Bilateral Cooperation (JCBC) meeting with Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat, which took place on Nov. 1.

PM Lee said he and Han had a "productive discussion on regional and international issues".

PM Lee also said he hoped for the stabilisation of U.S.-China relations, and that Han's visit underscored both Singapore and China's "commitments to keep up our high-level interactions".

He emphasised Singapore's hope that the U.S. and China could keep open their channels of communication.

PM Lee also said he looked forward to visiting China "soon", to connect with China's new leadership and "renew ties with old friends."

Recent party congress in China

China recently concluded its 20th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), where it reaffirmed President Xi Jinping to an unprecedented third term as CCP general-secretary.

The Congress also saw the replacement of four members of the Standing Committee of China's Politburo, including Han Zheng himself.

Han will likely hand over the role of Vice Premier to his successor in 2023, as well as the co-chair of the JCBC.

It has also maintained a strict Covid-Zero policy for over two years to combat the pandemic, which includes lengthy quarantine periods for those travelling into China.

Courtesy Calls

Han also met with President Halimah Yacob and Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean.

Halimah thanked Han for the hospitality she received when she attended the Beijing Winter Olympics earlier in the year.

In a Facebook post, she recalled the meetings she had with Xi and now outgoing Premier Li Keqiang.

Halimah and Han also reaffirmed "long-lasting and warm relations" between the two nations, and discussed how to continue collaboration on sustainable and inclusive growth, as well as on climate related issues.

Noting the importance of people-to-people ties in bilateral relations, Halimah noted the progress made in restoring those relations, especially with Singaporean students now being able to return to China to resume their studies.

Meanwhile, Teo described Han as an "old friend", and said he was "delighted" to welcome Han.

Teo was the previous JCBC co-chair, doing so for the last time in 2018.

Teo presented Han two pictures from the 2018 trip, when Han visited the Singapore River and presented flowers at the the Deng Xiaoping marker.

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Top image via Lee Hsien Loong/Facebook & Halimah Yacob/Facebook