BEIJING – Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi will go to Singapore, Malaysia and Cambodia this week, Beijing conveyed on Wednesday as it wants to strengthen bonding in the area. Mr Wang, who came back to the post in July after the vague vanishing of his predecessor Qin Gang, will travel to the three nations from Thursday to Sunday, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said in a statement. “China dreams to polish strategic communication with the three South-east Asian nations because of this travel,” it said.
Mr Wang will also call on Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Lawrence Wong in Singapore, the Republic’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs revealed on Wednesday. Also, Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan will host Mr Wang for dining together. Cambodia has been able to be one of China’s best supporter in the area under the rule of outgoing Prime Minister Hun Sen, getting a lot of Chinese investment.
But the rush of Chinese money has led to issues, involving a rash of casinos and online scam operations staffed by foreign workers. China’s rapport with South-east Asia have been messed up by its self-proclaimed control over most of the South China Sea inspite of competing claims enforced by countries which involves Vietnam, the Philippines and Malaysia.