From 27 to 28 November 2018, NISCSS President Wu Shicun attended the 13th China-Singapore Forum in Singapore. He spoke at a panel on China-Singapore relations, and engaged in in-depth discussions with guests present at the forum on issues including economy and trade, politics, multilateralism and China-ASEAN relations.

The program was co-organized by the East Asian Institute of National University of Singapore and Chinese People’s Institute of Foreign Affairs, and was comprised of a closed session and a public forum. The Chinese delegation present at the forum was led by Hu Zhengyue, former Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs of the PRC, and his counterpart leading the Singaporean delegation was Ambassador-At-Large Tommy Koh.

Senior diplomats as well as renowned scholars from universities and research institutions of both countries attended the forum, including the China Foreign Affairs University, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, China Institute of International Studies, China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies at Renmin University of China, National Institute for South China Sea Studies of China, Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy at National University of Singapore, ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute, S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies at Nanyang Technology University, and EU Centre in Singapore. Representatives from business sectors and the media, such as the Singapore Business Federation, Keppel Corporation, Temasek International Consulting Pte. Ltd., Business China, Poll Huanqiu and Straits Times, also participated in the closed session. And the open forum, themed on China-ASEAN relations, brought together more than 80 scholars and experts, media representatives and students from both countries.

Initiated by Chinese People’s Institute of Foreign Affairs and renowned Singaporean think tanks and research institutions in 1998, the China-Singapore Forum remains the sole track-II dialogue platform between the two countries. Its agenda covers a wide variety of issues of the two countries, including politics, economy, humanities, social affairs, security and regional cooperation. The goal of the forum is to promote mutual understanding and cooperation between China and ASEAN countries, including Singapore.

During his trip in Singapore, Dr. Wu also met with Hong Xiaoyong, the Chinese Ambassador to Singapore, Lawrence Wong Shyun Tsai, Singaporean Minister for National Development and Second Minister for Finance, as well as representatives from Singapore China Friendship Association.