Skip to main content

Advertisement

Advertisement

Four leaders to make state and official visits to S’pore next week

SINGAPORE — Russian President Vladimir Putin, Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and United States Vice-President Mike Pence will be making separate state and official visits to Singapore in the coming week.

(L-R) Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad and US Vice-President Mike Pence will be making state and official visits to Singapore starting on Nov 12, 2018.

(L-R) Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad and US Vice-President Mike Pence will be making state and official visits to Singapore starting on Nov 12, 2018.

Follow TODAY on WhatsApp

SINGAPORE — Russian President Vladimir Putin, Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and United States Vice-President Mike Pence will be making separate state and official visits to Singapore in the coming week.

The four leaders will also be attending the 33rd Association of South-east Asian Nations (Asean) Summit and related meetings here.

Kicking off a busy week of high-level visits in Singapore will be Dr Mahathir, who will begin his two-day official visit from Monday (Nov 12) at the invitation of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.

Dr Mahathir will call on President Halimah Yacob in the morning, before meeting PM Lee. Mr Lee and his wife Madam Ho Ching will host the Malaysian leader and his wife Dr Siti Hasmah Mohd Ali to lunch, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement on Saturday.

An orchid will also be named after Dr Mahathir and Dr Siti Hasmah.

On Tuesday, Dr Mahathir will be conferred an honorary degree by this alma mater National University of Singapore and be hosted to lunch by Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong.

The Malaysian premier is scheduled to deliver a keynote speech at an Asean business and investment forum on Tuesday afternoon.

China’s Mr Li will arrive in Singapore for an official visit on Monday afternoon, 40 years to the day that the late Chinese paramount leader Deng Xiaoping made his one and only official visit here.

This year also marks the 40th anniversary of China's reform and opening up policy.

Mr Li will meet PM Lee at the Istana on Monday evening, having last met in Beijing in April.

Both leaders will witness the exchange of several Memoranda of Understanding and agreements, covering areas such as trade, finance, co-operation on the Belt and Road Initiative, culture and the environment, said MFA.

PM Lee will host an official dinner for Mr Li. 

On Tuesday morning, Mr Li will deliver the 44th Singapore Lecture — where global statesmen and leaders get to speak on topics of international and regional interest to a Singapore audience — before calling on President Halimah the next day. 

He will attend the Asean-related events, including the Asean-China Summit, the Asean Plus Three Summit and the East Asia Summit on Wednesday and Thursday. 

Mr Putin will arrive in Singapore on Tuesday afternoon for his state visit. 

"This is President Putin’s first visit to Singapore," said MFA. "The visit, which comes as both countries celebrate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations, reaffirms our broad-based and long-standing friendship with Russia." 

The Russian leader will call on President Halimah, meet PM Lee and attend the ground-breaking of the Russian Cultural Centre. The centre aims to promote bilateral co-operation in cultural, scientific and technical areas and raise mutual understanding through exchanges.

President Halimah will host a state banquet for Mr Putin at the Istana on Tuesday evening.

While in Singapore, Mr Putin will attend the 3rd Asean-Russia Summit and the 13th East Asia Summit on Wednesday and Thursday respectively.

Mr Pence will kick off his official visit on Tuesday and will be attending the Asean related meetings. 

On Friday, he will have a private meeting with PM Lee, who will also host a breakfast for the American leader and his delegation.

Mr Pence will be accompanied by his wife, Mrs Karen Pence, as well as senior officials from the Vice President’s Office, National Security Council and the State Department.

Read more of the latest in

Advertisement

Advertisement

Stay in the know. Anytime. Anywhere.

Subscribe to get daily news updates, insights and must reads delivered straight to your inbox.

By clicking subscribe, I agree for my personal data to be used to send me TODAY newsletters, promotional offers and for research and analysis.