Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong will make a six-day official visit to China and meet with President Xi Jinping in Beijing.
Mr. Lee will also visit Guangdong and Hainan provinces from March 27 to April 1 at the request of China's new premier, Li Qiang, according to a statement released by the Prime Minister's Office on Sunday, March 26.
After the COVID-19 pandemic, this is Mr. Lee's first trip to China in almost four years. In November of the previous year, he met Mr. Xi in Bangkok, Thailand, on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Economic Leaders Meeting.
Mr. Lee described relations between Singapore and China as "excellent" in an interview with China Central Television broadcast on Friday.
Recognizing that the superpower now has a bigger position and voice on the international scene, he said that China's growth must be handled with concessions from all parties.
Madam Ho Ching, Foreign Affairs Minister Vivian Balakrishnan, Trade and Industry Minister Gan Kim Yong, Health Minister Ong Ye Kung, Senior Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and National Development Sim Ann, Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Health and Law Rahayu Mahzam, and government officials will comprise Mr. Lee's delegation to China.
Huang Kunming, Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Guangdong Province Committee, will host Mr. Lee for lunch in Guangdong. In addition, he is scheduled to meet Singaporeans residing in the coastal province.
Next, Mr. Lee will deliver a speech at the Bo'ao Forum for Asia (BFA) Annual Conference in Hainan, where the topic is "An Uncertain World: Solidarity and Collaboration for Development in the Face of Challenges."
During his time in Hainan, he will attend a lunch hosted by Premier Li for international leaders attending the conference. In addition, he will meet with Feng Fei, secretary of the CPC Hainan Province Committee.
In addition to seeing Mr. Xi in Beijing, Mr. Lee will also attend Premier Li's welcoming ceremony and lunch banquet.
The Prime Minister of Singapore will then meet with the third and fourth highest-ranking CPC officials: National People's Congress Chairman Zhao Leji and Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference Chairman Wang Huning.
Mr. Lee will further meet with Yin Li, the Secretary of the CPC Beijing Municipal Committee.
In the absence of Mr. Lee, Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong will serve as acting prime minister from March 27 to March 28, followed by Senior Minister and Minister Coordinating for National Security Teo Chee Hean from March 29 to April 1.
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