His Excellency Hong Xiaoyong, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People’s Republic of China to the Republic of Singapore arrived in Singapore in the evening of 15 March, 2018. Officials from the Protocol Department of the Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the senior diplomats from the Chinese Embassy in Singapore received Ambassador Hong at the Changi Airport. Ambassador Hong made the following remarks upon his arrival:

"It has been 10 years since my last posting in Singapore. 10 years is not short, but when I took up the post as the 11th Chinese Ambassador to Singapore and set my foot once again onto this land, all the wonderful memories of familiar names, friendly faces and flourishing streets came alive, just like yesterday once more.

Compared with 10 years ago, China-Singapore relations have entered a new stage of even greater growth. Let me recount a few milestones of our progress over the years.

In 2015, President Xi Jinping visited Singapore, during which our leaders ushered our relations to a new era by establishing the All-Round Cooperative Partnership Progressing with the Times.

For the past 5 years in a row, China has maintained as Singapore’s largest trading partner and Singapore as China’s top foreign investor.

Our cooperation around the Belt and Road Initiative has yielded concrete results. The Chongqing Connectivity Initiative is moving ahead smoothly, the building of Southern Transport Corridor is gradually realizing our goal of connecting the Belt with the Road, and we are also jointly expanding cooperation in third countries. All these have demonstrated our shared commitment to our peoples and to the region.

The year 2018 marks the 40th anniversary of China’s reform and opening up. It was 40 years ago that China and Singapore took the historically significant step of substantial cooperation. The past 40 years is the best witness of the China-Singapore relationship that is strong, dynamic and ever-growing.

For a diplomat, posting in the same country twice is a bless. For me, it is even more blessing to serve at a time when the bilateral relations are making big strides forward.

I am deeply honoured and privileged to serve as the new Chinese Ambassador to Singapore. Our older generations have passed onto us the valuable heritage of friendship, and our leaders have charted a course for a more brilliant future. I have every confidence to work with Singaporean friends from all sectors to build upon our traditional friendship and cooperation, promote the exchanges between our peoples and contribute to the greater progress of our relations. ”

His Excellency Hong Xiaoyong is the 11th Chinese Ambassador to Singapore, and he is scheduled to present his credentials to President Mdm Halimah Yacob at the end of March.