Photo: AFP/Mark Cheong
Eurasia
16/04/2024 17:01
Lee, 72, will formally advise the city-state’s president to appoint Wong, who is currently deputy prime minister and finance minister, to succeed him, his office said in a brief statement. Wong, who has the unanimous support of lawmakers in the long-ruling People’s Action Party (PAP), will be sworn in at the national palace later the same day, it said.
Lee has served as prime minister and head of the PAP since August 2004.
Lee announced last November that he would retire this year and has already named Wong as his designated successor. Lee originally planned to step down before turning 70, but those plans were shelved because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
“For any country, a leadership transition is a significant moment. Lawrence and the 4G (fourth-generation) team have worked hard to gain the people’s trust, notably during the pandemic,” Lee said in a Facebook post on Monday. “I ask all Singaporeans to give Lawrence and his team your full support, and work with them to create a brighter future for Singapore.”
Lee has said there is no reason to delay the political transition and that passing the baton to Wong before national elections due next year will allow the 51-year-old politician to win his own mandate and take the country forward.
Donald Trump and Xi Jinping may hold their first face-to-face since Trump’s return to office, with the APEC summit in South Korea the most likely stage. Trump has linked the meeting to a breakthrough on trade, while Xi has extended an invitation to Beijing, offering both sides a chance to ease mounting strains.
A bipartisan U.S. House delegation led by Rep. Adam Smith will visit China later this month, the first such trip since 2019. Beijing confirmed the plan on Wednesday, with Smith stressing the importance of reviving dialogue between the two powers.
China’s Defense Ministry announced that China, Russia, and Mongolia have held their first-ever joint border defense drills, dubbed Border Defence Cooperation 2025.