Singaporean PM hopes to build closer ties with Chinese leaders during upcoming visit

Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said on Wednesday that he hopes to build closer ties with Chinese leaders and reaffirm their shared commitment to enhancing bilateral cooperation during his upcoming official visit to China.

At the invitation of Chinese Premier Li Qiang, Wong will visit China from June 22 to 26.

Wong has been to China many times, but his upcoming visit holds special significance as it will be his first official trip to China as the prime minister of Singapore.

In a recent interview with the China Central Television, Wong talked about his expectations and key priorities of this special trip.

"I made it a point to visit China almost every year since entering politics, because it is useful to visit regularly, to interact, exchange notes with my counterparts, and to get a sense of how China is moving and transforming. I have always had good visits. I have always had good exchanges and meetings with my counterparts," Wong said.

"It is more special this time because it is my first visit in my capacity as prime minister. I would look forward to achieving several objectives. First, to just establish closer ties with Chinese leaders, especially with President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang. Second, to reaffirm our shared commitment to enhancing our bilateral cooperation, especially as we mark the 35th anniversary of diplomatic ties this year. And then, of course, thirdly, to discuss the wider regional and global developments that we are all confronting during this challenging period and to see how we can continue working together to strengthen multilateralism and the rules-based global order," he said.

Wong is expected to meet with Xi during his upcoming visit. Recalling their last meeting on the sidelines of the 31st APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting in Lima in November, Wong said he looks forward to meeting with the Chinese president again.

"We had a short but productive meeting at the sidelines of APEC last year. My first time, in fact, as prime minister, at that time. We discussed our bilateral cooperation; we discussed cooperation in regional platforms like APEC, and how we can take this forward. And I said to President Xi at that time that I would be visiting China next year -- that was in 2024, I said next year in 2025 when we mark the 35th anniversary of diplomatic ties. So I am doing so right after the elections, at the soonest possible opportunity to visit China now, and I hope to be able to meet him again," Wong said.

Singaporean PM hopes to build closer ties with Chinese leaders during upcoming visit

Singaporean PM hopes to build closer ties with Chinese leaders during upcoming visit

Singaporean PM hopes to build closer ties with Chinese leaders during upcoming visit

Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said on Monday that the situation in Iran is "under total control" following violence linked to protests that spiked over the weekend.

Addressing foreign diplomats in Tehran, the foreign minister noted that armed terrorist groups had infiltrated the protests, attempting to divert them from their legitimate course. He claimed that evidence has been gathered showing Iranian security forces being shot at, with the aim of causing further casualties. He accused the United States and Israel of exploiting the unrest to interfere in Iran's internal affairs.

Araghchi further stated that the government is closely monitoring developments on the streets, emphasizing that "the situation has come under control." He also affirmed that internet services, curtailed during the unrest, would be restored after coordination with security agencies.

The government has engaged in dialogue with merchants and protest representatives and initiated reforms to address grievances related to price hikes and currency depreciation. Iran has taken a series of actions and measures to respond to the demands of peaceful demonstrators, the foreign minister said.

Earlier on Sunday, Araghchi said that clear evidence links recent riots and vandalism of public facilities in Iran to the Israeli intelligence agency Mossad. This came after former U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo mentioned Mossad agents operating on Iran's streets in a social media post. The Iranian foreign minister asserted that police are being attacked by "terrorists" acting under the direction of Israeli operatives, whom Pompeo publicly acknowledged.

The protests initially erupted over a sharp depreciation of the rial and sweeping subsidy reforms. Iranian authorities have blamed the unrest on foreign-linked agents and U.S. sanctions.

Iranian foreign minister says situation "fully under control," accuses Israeli intelligence of stoking unrest