Summary
On 12 June 2026, Zhao Leji, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), held talks with Singaporean Speaker of Parliament Xie Jianping at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. Zhao noted that the two countries celebrated the 35th anniversary of diplomatic relations last year, and the meeting between President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Lawrence Wong set the direction for bilateral ties. China is willing to strengthen strategic communication, deepen political trust, and expand cooperation in areas such as artificial intelligence, digital economy, clean energy, and technological innovation, as well as to jointly pursue high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, enhance people-to-people exchanges, and bolster multilateral coordination.
Zhao emphasised that the NPC is ready to strengthen exchanges with Singapore's Parliament, and welcomed Singaporean lawmakers to participate in seminars for ASEAN legislators. He introduced the outline of China's 15th Five-Year Plan, stating that China will inject certainty into the world through high-quality development. Xie said that Singapore-China friendship has a long history, and Singapore firmly adheres to the One-China policy.
He considers China's 15th Five-Year Plan to offer important opportunities for Singapore, and expressed willingness to enhance cooperation in areas including trade and investment, digital economy, and green development, as well as to promote ASEAN-China relations. He Wei attended the meeting.
Commentary
For New Zealand SME owners, while the China-Singapore relationship is not directly bilateral with New Zealand, Singapore's role as a regional hub means its deepening cooperation with China sends a positive signal: China continues to push for high-quality openness, with key areas such as AI, digital economy, and green development set to become focal points for China-Singapore and even China-ASEAN cooperation. NZ businesses can watch for regional collaboration opportunities in these sectors, for instance leveraging Singapore as a platform to access Southeast Asian markets. At the same time, the reaffirmation of multilateralism and free trade provides reassurance for NZ exporters reliant on stable trade rules.
However, competition may intensify: China-Singapore collaboration in digital economy and tech innovation could divert attention from some of NZ's strengths (e.g., agritech). It is advisable for NZ firms to proactively align with the greentransition and digital economy directions of China's 15th Five-Year Plan, exploring complementary partnerships with Singaporean companies rather than direct competition. The strengthening of legislative exchanges also suggests a more predictable policy environment, beneficial for long-term planning.
Keywords: Zhao Leji, Xie Jianping, Singapore Parliament, 15th Five-Year Plan, artificial intelligence, digital economy, multilateralism, Belt and Road, China-Singapore relations, legislative exchange
Summary in Chinese | 摘要
2026年6月12日，全国人大常委会委员长赵乐际在北京人民大会堂同新加坡国会议长谢健平举行会谈。赵乐际表示，去年两国庆祝建交35周年，习近平主席与黄循财总理会晤为关系指明方向。中方愿加强战略沟通，深化政治互信，拓展人工智能、数字经济、清洁能源、科技创新等领域合作，高质量共建“一带一路”，并加强人文交流与多边协作。
赵乐际强调中国全国人大愿与新加坡国会加强立法机构交流，欢迎新加坡议员参加东盟国家议员研讨班。他介绍了中国“十五五”规划纲要，表示中国将通过高质量发展为世界注入确定性。谢健平表示新中友谊源远流长，新加坡坚定奉行一个中国政策，认为中国“十五五”规划为新加坡提供重要机遇，愿加强在经贸投资、数字经济、绿色发展等各领域合作，并促进东盟-中国关系。
何维参加会谈。
Commentary in Chinese | 评论
对于新西兰中小企业主而言，中新关系与中新关系虽非直接双边，但新加坡作为区域枢纽，其与中国深化合作传递出积极信号：中国持续推动高质量开放，重点领域如人工智能、数字经济、绿色发展等将成为中新乃至中国-东盟合作焦点。新西兰企业可关注这些领域的区域合作机会，例如通过新加坡平台参与东南亚市场。同时，双方重申多边主义和自由贸易，对依赖稳定贸易规则的新西兰出口商是定心丸。
然而，需注意竞争加剧：中国与新加坡数字经济和科技创新合作可能分流部分新西兰优势领域（如农业科技）的注意力。建议新西兰企业主动对接中国“十五五”规划中的绿色转型和数字经济发展方向，探索与新加坡企业的互补合作，而非直接竞争。立法机构交流的加强也暗示政策环境将更可预测，利于长期规划。
关键词: 赵乐际, 谢健平, 新加坡国会, 十五五规划, 人工智能, 数字经济, 多边主义, 一带一路, 中新关系, 立法交流