30 years of S’pore-China ties: A complex relationship headed for challenging new chapter

On the 30th anniversary of the establishment of Singapore-China diplomatic ties, The Straits Times looks at the evolution of this relationship

In a photo from April 29, 2019, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong meets Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. PHOTO: MCI
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The Singapore-China relationship was never going to be an easy one given the huge differences between the two countries, not the least of which are their different political systems and disparity in size.

Another complicating factor: Singapore's ethnic Chinese majority population (75 per cent), with many Singaporeans still steeped in Chinese customs and traditions, and for some, even personal memories of the motherland.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on October 03, 2020, with the headline 30 years of S’pore-China ties: A complex relationship headed for challenging new chapter. Subscribe