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Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Press Statements

Exchange of Congratulatory Messages to Commemorate the 35th Anniversary of Diplomatic Relations Between Singapore and the People's Republic of China

Country

China

3 October 2025

The Republic of Singapore and the People’s Republic of China established diplomatic relations on 3 October 1990. To commemorate the 35th anniversary of diplomatic relations this year, President Tharm...

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he Republic of Singapore and the People’s Republic of China established diplomatic relations on 3 October 1990. To commemorate the 35th anniversary of diplomatic relations this year, President Tharman Shanmugaratnam, Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Lawrence Wong, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry Gan Kim Yong, and Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Vivian Balakrishnan exchanged messages with President Xi Jinping, Premier Li Qiang, Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang and Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi respectively. The text of the letters are appended. 

.     .     .     .     .

MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS

SINGAPORE

3 OCTOBER 2025 

Letter from President Tharman Shanmugaratnam to President Xi Jinping

3 October 2025

His Excellency Xi Jinping

President

People’s Republic of China

Your Excellency,

Today, the Republic of Singapore and People's Republic of China celebrate the 35th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations. Building on the foresight and efforts of our pioneer leaders, particularly Mr Lee Kuan Yew and Mr Deng Xiaoping in the 1970s, we have successively developed the close and wide-ranging partnership we enjoy today.

In 2023, we upgraded bilateral relations to an "All-Round High-Quality Future-Oriented Partnership". Our Government-to-Government projects in Suzhou, Tianjin, and Chongqing, as well as our state-level bilateral cooperation project in Guangzhou, continue to progress, develop new features, and remain forward-looking. To keep pace with changing times, we have expanded our cooperation into new areas like the digital and green economies, food security, and deepening financial cooperation. Generations of our citizens have also strengthened ties through study, business, tourism, and cultural exchanges.

I am confident that Singapore and China will continue to work closely together to bring bilateral relations to even greater heights.

Please accept my best wishes, and I look forward to meeting you soon.

Yours sincerely,

THARMAN SHANMUGARATNAM 

Letter from Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Lawrence Wong to Premier Li Qiang

3 October 2025

His Excellency Li Qiang

Premier     

People’s Republic of China

Dear Premier Li,

Today marks the 35th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Republic of Singapore and the People’s Republic of China. The friendship between our two nations started long before 1990, when Mr Lee Kuan Yew and Mr Deng Xiaoping met in the 1970s. Over the years, our relationship has continued to deepen, rooted in a willingness to understand each other’s perspectives, as well as the building of mutual trust through decades of mutually beneficial cooperation.

Today, our three Government-to-Government projects in Suzhou, Tianjin and Chongqing, as well as our state-level project in Guangzhou are testament to the depth of our relations. Each project, launched during different periods of China’s developmental journey, has served our evolving priorities. They will continue to be valuable platforms to break new ground for bilateral cooperation, in line with our “All-Round High-Quality Future-Oriented Partnership”.

Our three high-level bilateral platforms, namely, the Joint Council for Bilateral Cooperation, the Singapore-China Forum on Leadership and the Social Governance Forum, also continue to be important mechanisms for successive generations of leaders and officials to exchange ideas and identify new areas of collaboration.

As we celebrate 35 years of relations, I look forward to working closely with you to advance cooperation in emerging areas like the digital and green economies, finance and clean and renewable energy. We can also explore ways to support the development of our region and address common challenges like climate change.

Singapore and China share a commitment to support free trade and uphold a rules-based multilateral system, including through platforms like the WTO and APEC. We should further expedite the implementation of the upgraded China-Singapore Free Trade Agreement, the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area Agreement and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership. I look forward to deepening our cooperation at regional and multilateral fora to turn shared challenges into new opportunities.

I wish you and the people of China all the best, and I hope to receive you in Singapore soon.

Yours sincerely,

LAWRENCE WONG

Letter from Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry Gan Kim Yong to Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang

3 October 2025

His Excellency Ding Xuexiang

Vice Premier of the State Council

People’s Republic of China

Your Excellency,

Please accept my best wishes on this happy occasion of the 35th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Republic of Singapore and the People’s Republic of China.

Our ties stretch far beyond the 35 years of diplomatic relations that we are commemorating today. They are built on the friendship and mutual trust shared by successive generations of leaders and the enduring goodwill between our peoples. This has laid the strong foundation for our relationship to flourish over the decades.

Today, bilateral cooperation is anchored by our three Government-to-Government projects and a network of institutionalised exchanges. The Joint Council for Bilateral Cooperation (JCBC), which we co-chair, provides strategic direction for our overall relationship. Other mechanisms, such as the Singapore-China Forum on Leadership, the Singapore-China Social Governance Forum, and our eight Provincial Business Councils, serve to foster practical cooperation and deepen mutual understanding across multiple domains. Through these platforms, we have steadily expanded our cooperation over the years, including in new areas like the digital and green economies. We have also forged deep friendships and mutual understanding over the years.

Amid an increasingly uncertain world, it is important that we continue to strengthen our cooperation, both bilaterally and in regional and international forums. Singapore looks forward to working closely with China to uphold our shared commitment to maintaining the rules-based international order and multilateral trading system, for the benefit of both our peoples and the broader region.

I look forward to meeting you and your delegation at the upcoming JCBC in Chongqing later this year. I wish you good health and every success.

Yours sincerely,

GAN KIM YONG

Letter from Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Vivian Balakrishnan to Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi

3 October 2025

His Excellency Wang Yi

Minister of Foreign Affairs

People’s Republic of China

Your Excellency,

I would like to extend my warmest wishes on the auspicious occasion of the 35th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Republic of Singapore and People’s Republic of China.

Singapore and China share a deep and enduring relationship, dating back to the 1970s where our pioneering leaders laid the strong foundation for bilateral relations. Since then, we have significantly deepened and broadened our ties.

To reflect our expanding and evolving partnership, we upgraded bilateral relations to an “All-Round High-Quality Future-Oriented Partnership” in 2023. Over the decades, we have expanded our multi-faceted cooperation from traditional areas like trade and investment, to new frontiers in sectors like the digital and green economies, food security, and finance. Our three Government-to-Government projects in Suzhou, Tianjin, Chongqing, as well as our state-level bilateral cooperation project in Guangzhou, have also continued to keep pace with our changing developmental needs.

Singapore and China have also worked closely together on the regional and international level. Given our shared interests in supporting free trade, multilateralism, and a rules-based international order, there is more that we can do together to benefit our peoples and the broader region.

I am confident that we will be able to take our ties to greater heights in the years ahead with your strong support. I look forward to meeting you again soon, and wish you continued good health and success.

Yours sincerely,

DR VIVIAN BALAKRISHNAN

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