US, China officials may meet at Davos event here: WEF chief

SINGAPORE • Officials from US President Joe Biden's new administration may hold meetings with their Chinese counterparts at a World Economic Forum (WEF) meeting in Singapore in May, the organisation's president has said.

Mr Borge Brende was speaking in a virtual dialogue yesterday with Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, who called for a reset of the relationship between the two superpowers.

"Singapore has had very close ties with the US but also worked very well with China," Mr Brende said.

"The special annual meeting could be a place where you could see the new Biden administration and China meet."

The meeting has been moved from its usual home in the Swiss town of Davos, from where it takes its informal name, to Singapore over concerns about Covid-19 in Europe.

Beijing has been pushing for greater global influence in a challenge to traditional US leadership. Relations between the two nations soured under former US president Donald Trump's administration over trade tariffs and Mr Trump's criticism of China's handling of the coronavirus pandemic.

Neither China or the US has said whether they will send officials to the meeting due to be held from May 25 to 28, over which there remains uncertainty, given the pandemic still raging across many parts of the world.

PM Lee said Singapore would work with the forum to ensure the health and safety of all. "I welcome all of you to Singapore in May so that we can... forge a new path forward together," he added in prepared remarks.

REUTERS