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World will benefit from prosperous, thriving China at peace with its neighbours: PM Lee

SINGAPORE — China, having made remarkable progress in the last three decades, has the national wherewithal to overcome any potential challenges in the next five to 10 years, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has said.

Mr Lee noted the remarkable, nationwide changes he has witnessed in the three decades he has been visiting China, telling Xinhuanet: "Not every city is like Shanghai or Beijing, but all the cities have made huge progress compared to 10, 20 years ago. Photo: MCI

Mr Lee noted the remarkable, nationwide changes he has witnessed in the three decades he has been visiting China, telling Xinhuanet: "Not every city is like Shanghai or Beijing, but all the cities have made huge progress compared to 10, 20 years ago. Photo: MCI

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SINGAPORE — China, having made remarkable progress in the last three decades, has the national wherewithal to overcome any potential challenges in the next five to 10 years, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has said.

And from Singapore’s perspective, a successful, prosperous and confident China that has peaceful and mutually beneficial ties with its neighbours and other countries will not just benefit Chinese nationals, but the world at large as well, he told Xinhuanet, the online portal of the official Xinhua news agency.

Mr Lee, who was interviewed by Xinhuanet on Saturday (Sept 16), ahead of his official visit to China, which begins on Tuesday and ends on Thursday, was asked how he viewed China’s developments in the next five to 10 years, ahead of the ruling Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) 19th Party Congress.

The five-yearly congress, scheduled for Oct 18, is closely watched for the leadership reshuffles and renewals at the top of the CCP, and the policy changes that could ensue. 

Chinese President Xi Jinping is widely expected to consolidate his already formidable grip on power at the upcoming meeting.

“There will definitely be challenges in the next five to 10 years. Governing China has never been easy, given its size and complexity,” said Mr Lee. 

“But China will surely overcome the challenges and continue to progress, given her people’s courage and unity.”

Mr Lee noted the remarkable, nationwide changes he has witnessed in the three decades he has been visiting China, telling Xinhuanet: “Not every city is like Shanghai or Beijing, but all the cities have made huge progress compared to 10, 20 years ago.

“This is a national-level transformation.”

China is now well-connected by airports, highways, high-speed rail and its own telecommunications network that allows anyone to go online. 

The country’s telecommunications companies like Huawei and technology platforms such as WeChat are global leaders.

“But what left the deepest impression on me is that the thinking and lifestyles of the ordinary Chinese have changed,” said Mr Lee. 

“Their expectations of the future, their determination to overcome challenges and courage to seek breakthroughs, that’s extraordinary.”

During his visit to China this week, Mr Lee is due to hold talks in Beijing with the top three Chinese leaders — President Xi, Premier Li Keqiang, and Mr Zhang Dejiang, chairman of the National People’s Congress, the Chinese legislature — as well as visit the south-eastern province of Fujian.

Mr Lee last visited China in September last year, when he visited south-western Chongqing to follow up on the Chongqing Connectivity Initiative, and attend the G20 leaders’ meeting in Hangzhou.

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