SINGAPORE – Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat will visit Beijing, Shenzhen and Hong Kong from April 7 to 12.
DPM Heng, who is also Coordinating Minister for Economic Policies, will meet senior central and local members of the Chinese leadership during his six-day official visit, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said in a statement on April 7.
His visit builds on the positive momentum of high-level exchanges between Singapore and China, noted the PMO.
In March, Senior Chinese diplomat Liu Jianchao visited the Republic and called on Mr Heng and Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong. Mr Liu is Minister of the International Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC), which cultivates relations with foreign political parties.
Mr Liu’s visit came days after Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean made an official visit to China that included stops in Sichuan, Zhejiang and Beijing.
In December 2023, more than 20 agreements were inked at the 19th Joint Council for Bilateral Cooperation that was co-chaired by DPM Wong. Held in Tianjin, the apex bilateral meeting also saw the announcement of a mutual 30-day visa-free arrangement.
The agreement, signed on Jan 25 by officials from both sides, allows ordinary passport holders from Singapore and China to enter each other’s country without the need for a visa, and for a stay of up to 30 days.
The PMO said Mr Heng’s visit “will be a good opportunity for both sides to explore ways to strengthen bilateral cooperation, as well as exchange views on regional and international issues”.
DPM Heng will be accompanied by officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the National Research Foundation, Ministry of Trade and Industry, and the PMO.
