Visit by DPM Teo Chee Hean to Yan’an, Shaanxi Province, The People’s Republic of China

Visit by Mr Teo Chee Hean, Deputy Prime Minister and Coordinating Minister for National Security, to Yan’an, Shaanxi Province, The People’s Republic of China

Deputy Prime Minister and Coordinating Minister for National Security Teo Chee Hean visited Yan’an, Shaanxi Province, the People’s Republic of China on 14 April 2019, as the last leg of his trip to China.  He co-chaired the 7th Singapore-China Forum on Leadership with Member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and CPC Central Committee Organisation Department (COD) Minister Chen Xi. Minister (Trade & Industry) and Minister-in-charge of the Public Service Chan Chun Sing is the Singapore Deputy Co-Chair.

The Opening Ceremony of the 7th Forum on Leadership, attended by senior officials from both countries, was held at the China Executive Leadership Academy in Yan’an (CELAY).  The theme of this year’s Forum is “Addressing Our Peoples’ Aspirations for Better Lives”. DPM Teo and Minister Chen Xi delivered the opening addresses, and Minister Chan and Secretary of the CPC Shaanxi Provincial Committee Hu Heping delivered the keynote addresses.

DPM Teo shared with the audience Singapore’s framework on breaking new ground in policy making, harnessing our peoples’ energies and ideas for collective outcomes, and developing our future generations to create a better future1.  Minister Chan spoke on how Singapore was developing capable and resilient people, developing cohesive and caring communities, making long-term plans for the future, and being a confident and constructive member of the international community2.

DPM Teo had a bilateral meeting with Minister Chen.  DPM Teo and Minister Chen reaffirmed the long and deep bilateral relationship, and the value of our longstanding leadership development exchanges which should be continued.  DPM Teo was hosted to dinner by Minister Chen, who also accompanied DPM Teo on a visit to Xuexi Academy.  DPM Teo separately met Party Secretary Hu. Secretary Hu briefed DPM Teo on developments in Shaanxi Province, and they discussed ways to strengthen cooperation between Singapore and Shaanxi.

The forum will continue tomorrow, 15 April 2019. Minister Fu, SMS Janil Puthucheary and SMS Edwin Tong will respectively deliver speeches on the subthemes of (a) Motivating Public Officials to Meet Rising Public Expectations; (b) Creating and Implementing a New Vision for Development; and (c) Transforming the Public Service to Deliver Public Sector Outcomes.

First held in 2009, the Forum on Leadership is a strategic platform for political leaders and senior officials of Singapore and China to discuss and exchange experiences on common challenges related to leadership development.  Besides Minister Chan, DPM Teo is accompanied by Minister (Culture, Community and Youth) Grace Fu; Senior Minister of State (Transport) (Communications and Information) Janil Puthucheary; Senior Minister of State (Law) (Health) Edwin Tong; Senior Parliamentary Secretary (Home Affairs) (National Development) Sun Xueling; Senior Parliamentary Secretary (Foreign Affairs) (Trade & Industry) Tan Wu Meng; as well as senior officials from various Ministries and agencies.

[1] Read DPM Teo Chee Hean’s full speech
[2] Read Min Chan Chun Sing’s full speech