Aung San Suu Kyi to make three-day visit to Singapore

SINGAPORE —  Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi is making an official three-day visit to Singapore from Wednesday (Nov 30), where she will meet with top leaders. Nobel laureate Ms Suu Kyi will call on Acting President J Y Pillay and Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, said a statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday evening. 

“PM Lee will host an official welcome ceremony and an official dinner for Daw Aung San Suu Kyi at the Istana,” added the statement.

Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong and Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean will also meet Ms Suu Kyi, who is making her second visit to Singapore. She last visited Singapore in September 2013 in her capacity as chairperson of the National League for Democracy. She now holds the title of State Counsellor, after the NLD swept to power last November.

Singapore and Myanmar are celebrating the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations this year, and her visit follows a series of high-level exchanges during the past 10 months, including Foreign Affairs Minister Dr Vivian Balakrishnan’s introductory visit in May, PM Lee’s official visit in June, and Speaker of Parliament Halimah Yacob’s official visit in September. 

While in Singapore, Ms Suu Kyi will receive a briefing by the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau and visit a hawker centre where she will be hosted at a breakfast by Dr Balakrishnan. She had asked to study the way Singapore builds and operates hawker centres, said Mr Lee during his June visit, adding that he was “happy” that Singapore had something “relevant to share”.

In 2015, Myanmar was Singapore’s 28th-largest trading partner, with total trade valued at S$3.57 billion. Singapore is also Myanmar’s third-largest trading partner after China and Thailand.

During the visit, Ms Suu Kyi will also attend a dialogue with Singapore businesses as well as visit the Singapore Botanic Gardens, where an orchid will be named in her honour. 

On Thursday evening, she and PM Lee will be the guests-of-honour at the opening ceremony of the Asian Civilisations Museum’s Cities and Kings: Ancient Treasures from Myanmar exhibition. Ms Suu Kyi will be accompanied by Union Minister for Commerce Than Myint, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Kyaw Tin and senior officials.