Chairman of the People’s Action Party (PAP) Desmond Lee highlighted the importance of regular exchanges between political parties to foster mutual learning and understanding of different leadership approaches.
Mr Lee, who is Minister for Education, led a 25-member delegation on a study trip to Beijing, China from January 4 to 6, following an invitation from the Communist Party of China (CPC).
This visit marks the second exchange between the PAP and CPC since their agreement in 2024 to enhance bilateral interactions.
“Regular exchanges in the form of study visits help both the PAP and the CPC to deepen our appreciation of each other’s experiences and governing priorities, and foster friendship and goodwill,” Mr Lee said during the trip.
During the Beijing visit, Mr Lee met with Shi Taifeng, a member of the Politburo Standing Committee and Minister of the Organisation Department of the CPC Central Committee as well as Liu Haixiang, who heads the International Department of the CPC Central Committee.
The delegation also visited an elder care facility in Feng Tai district and several leading technology companies. Also on the agenda were visits to Tsinghua University to learn about their approaches to student development, as well as the CPC Museum to gain insights into the century-long history of the CPC.
Lee Kuan Yew visited Yan’an during his historic first official trip to China in 1976
Part of the PAP delegation, led by Party Whip Dr Janil Puthucheary, then visited Yan’an, Shaanxi province from January 7 to 8. Known as the birthplace of the revolution and the revolutionary base of the CPC from the late 1930s to 1948, Yan’an holds a significant place in history.
Lee Kuan Yew, the party’s first secretary-general and Singapore’s first Prime Minister, also visited Yan’an during his first official trip to China in May 1976.
During the visit, the delegation met with Hao Huijie, Member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Shaanxi Provincial Committee and Secretary of the CPC Yan’an Municipal Committee.
They explored historical revolutionary sites like Zaoyuan and Yangjialing. Yangjialing, notably, served as the residence and workplace for Mao Zedong, Zhou Enlai, and other CPC leaders and cadres in traditional cave dwellings from 1938 to 1947.
Additionally, they visited Liangjiahe village, where Xi Jinping, General Secretary of the CPC and Chairman of the Central Military Commission, lived in the 1970s.
Dr Janil Puthucheary: Building and maintaining ties of friendship with international counterparts is important
Dr Puthucheary, Senior Minister of State for Education and Sustainability and the Environment, told Petir that it is his second visit to Yan’an as part of a PAP delegation.
“Building and maintaining ties of friendship with international counterparts is important. So that we can understand their systems and society to learn lessons, and to help them understand Singapore.”
The delegation included PAP Women’s Wing Chairperson and Senior Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Home Affairs Sim Ann, PAP HQ Executive Director and PAP Assistant Organising Secretary Alex Yam Ziming, and Senior Minister of State for Digital Development and Information, and Health Tan Kiat How, who also serves as PAP Assistant Organising Secretary.
Members of Parliament Liang Eng Hwa, Tin Pei Ling, Foo Cexiang, and Cassandra Lee are also part of the delegation, along with representatives from various PAP groups and party cadres.
MP for Tanjong Pagar GRC Foo Cexiang highlighted the different political and societal setups of Singapore and China.
He also noted similar challenges being faced, in areas like technological advancement, ageing populations, climate change, and an uncertain geopolitical landscape.
“For any political party to lead its country and navigate these transitions well, it must continue to place the people at the heart of all we do, be deeply reflective, and stay united.”
MP for West Coast–Jurong West GRC Cassandra Lee shared that the study visit offered her valuable insights into the CPC’s governance, policy-making, and political organisation within China’s historical and social framework.
“Learning how other political parties think and govern puts our decisions in perspective, sharpens our own judgment, while remaining firmly grounded in Singapore’s interests, values and institutions,” she said.
As a junior MP, she was also grateful for the opportunity to participate in this engagement and to learn from senior colleagues.
