HONG KONG: The occasional rivalry between Singapore and Hong Kong is a healthy one that ultimately benefits wider global trade, Singapore’s Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said on Friday (Mar 27).
Speaking at a meeting with Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee, Mr Wong said the two cities have much in common and that their connections matter now more than ever.
“We are hubs for our respective regions, and while there is some competition from time to time, I think it is healthy competition. And more importantly, when we connect with one another, the pie grows, and we both benefit because we both believe in free trade, we both believe in rules-based multilateralism,” he said.
Mr Wong noted that ties between both cities are “more important than ever in a world that is becoming more fragmented and where barriers are going up”, and said Singapore looks forward to closer collaboration with Hong Kong.
The visit marks Mr Wong’s first trip to Hong Kong as prime minister. He said he was delighted to return, noting that his last official visit was in 2019, when he was still a minister.
