Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi meets with Singaporean Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan on May 25, 2026. Photo: Chinese Foreign Ministry

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Singaporean Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan on Monday, with Wang emphasizing that China attaches great importance to developing relations with Singapore and is willing to sustain high-level exchanges, according to the Chinese Foreign Ministry. The trip, which comes one week after Singapore's Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong's trip to China, epitomizes frequent bilateral interactions and showcases the robust relations between two sides, a Chinese expert said.

Over the past year, under the strategic guidance of the leaders of the two countries and thanks to joint efforts from both sides, the all-round, high-quality and forward-looking partnership between China and Singapore has maintained sound momentum, Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said during the meeting with Balakrishnan.

China and Singapore differ in size, yet both serve as stabilizing forces in the world. Facing a turbulent and volatile global landscape, both nations firmly uphold multilateralism, uphold free trade and advocate for the UN-centered international system, Wang said.

The two countries should deepen strategic communication, boost mutual trust, jointly tackle emerging global challenges and safeguard regional peace and stability, Wang added, according to the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

China attaches great importance to developing relations with Singapore, and will keep leveraging the evolving strengths of bilateral ties, sustain high-level exchanges, advance practical cooperation across all fields, deepen people-to-people exchanges and set an exemplary leading role in the region, Wang added.

Wang said that safeguarding secure global industrial and supply chains and unimpeded maritime navigation is the shared aspiration and common interest of all nations. China will continue to make efforts in this regard.

"This year marks the fifth anniversary of the China-ASEAN comprehensive strategic partnership. As an important ASEAN member and incoming rotating chair of ASEAN next year, it is expected Singapore to keep playing an active role in boosting China-ASEAN cooperation," the Chinese foreign minister said.

Balakrishnan said during the meeting that the world faces mounting instability and uncertainties, but Singapore and China have always maintained a high level of mutual trust and close cooperation, with bilateral relations remaining vibrant. Singapore highly values its relationship with China. In the current complex international environment, Singapore-China cooperation and exchanges are of vital importance.

Singapore adheres to the one-China policy and firmly opposes "Taiwan independence." This policy is long-standing, consistent and won't change. Singapore will not take actions that violate or harm China's interests, Balakrishnan added.

Balakrishnan said that maintaining the continuous openness of the Strait of Malacca serves the interests of all parties. Singapore supports the freedom of navigation through the Malacca Strait and other international sea lanes. The country is ready to work with China to safeguard the WTO-centered multilateral trading system and jointly strive for global peace, development and prosperity.

Balakrishnan is paying a working visit to China from May 24 to 26, according to the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

Balakrishnan's visit follows Singapore's Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong's visit to South China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and Shanghai from May 18 to 22, which built on the momentum of high-level exchanges between Singapore and China and deepens Singapore's ties with China at the regional level, according to a press release by the Singapore government.

Ma Bo, an associate professor at the School of International Studies at Nanjing University, told the Global Times that China and Singapore have witnessed frequent exchanges at senior and working levels in recent years.

Against the backdrop of some countries hyping the Taiwan question, Singapore clearly upholds the one-China policy and firmly opposes "Taiwan independence," setting a good example for other member states in ASEAN. This will help Singapore set the tone on Taiwan question when it assumes the rotating ASEAN chairmanship next year, Ma added.

A report by Singaporean media outlet Lianhe Zaobao on Sunday noted that facing the turbulent global situation, the Singapore government has repeatedly emphasized in the past that expanding cooperation with like-minded countries is a crucial strategic necessity for Singapore.

China, South Korea, and Japan, as members of the ASEAN Plus Three framework, are Singapore's key partners in Northeast Asia. The upcoming visit by Balakrishnan to China and South Korea involves two of Singapore's important trading partners that maintain frequent and close exchanges with the country.

Ma added that cooperation in emerging sectors marks a new phase of China-Singapore ties and underpins their forward-looking partnership. Boasting strengths such as being a regional tech and financial hub, Singapore holds great cooperation potential in new energy vehicles and artificial intelligence. 

Eyeing China's advancement of new productive forces and manufacturing upgrading, Singapore could seize the opportunity to deepen collaboration with China, the expert added.