He will also meet the top three ranking leaders of China and attend the Asia-Europe Meeting (Asem), a biennial summit of leaders which has taken on greater significance this year because of the global financial crisis.

The summit is expected to discuss the financial meltdown with the 10 Asean leaders holding a crisis meeting on the sidelines.

PM Lee will travel to Xi'an, capital of western Shaanxi province, after the summit. He will meet Shaanxi governor Yuan Chunqing and visit a city where Singapore has substantial trade.