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Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong will visit the People’s Republic of China from May 13 to 17, 2023, at the invitation of China’s Vice Premier of the State Council, Ding Xuexiang.

It is DPM Wong's first visit to China since he became DPM in June 2022.

Accompanied by a minister & 3 other political office holders

According to Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) press release on May 13, 2023, Wong, who is also Finance Minister, will be visiting Shanghai and Beijing.

He will be accompanied by Minister for National Development Desmond Lee, Senior Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Sim Ann, Senior Minister of State for Defence Zaqy Mohamad, as well as Minister of State for Trade and Industry Low Yen Ling.

Officials from the PMO, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) and Ministry of Finance will also be accompanying him.

To meet various high-ranking officials

Wong will meet Shanghai’s Communist Party of China (CPC) secretary Chen Jining and Shanghai Mayor Gong Zheng. He will also meet Singaporeans based in Shanghai.

When he arrives in Beijing, Wong will call on China’s Premier Li Qiang.

He will then have separate meetings with Ding, Minister of the CPC Central Organisation Department Li Ganjie, and Finance Minister Liu Kun.

China-Singapore engagements

Wong’s official visit to China comes shortly after Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong visited China, during which PM Lee met with China’s President Xi Jinping and top Chinese officials.

Both sides had underscored the “good” relations between Singapore and China and agreed to bring various bilateral projects to the next level.

In February 2023, Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan also visited Beijing and met China’s newly appointed foreign minister Qin Gang.

In November 2022, China’s vice president — former vice premier — Han Zheng also travelled to Singapore to co-chair the 18th Joint Council for Bilateral Cooperation (JCBC) with Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat.

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Top image via Facebook/Lawrence Wong