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SINGAPORE – A slew of world leaders extended their congratulations to Mr Lawrence Wong Chinese Premier Li Qiang congratulated PM Wong, saying China attaches great importance to the development of China-Singapore relations, reported Xinhua news agency.  Mr Li said that for more than 30 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1990, China and Singapore have continually deepened mutual political trust and achieved fruitful results in various fields. He also wishes to maintain close communication and collaboration with PM Wong to promote high-quality bilateral cooperation, and bring about greater contributions to regional peace, stability and prosperity.  Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrote on X that he looks forward to working closely with PM Wong to advance both countries’ strategic partnership. Congratulating PM Wong, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said he would like to work with his Singapore counterpart to further strengthen bilateral relations between the two countries. He added that he was looking ahead to the 60th anniversary of the establishment of Japan-Singapore relations in 2026. British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak offered his congratulations to PM Wong, noting that Singapore is one of Britain’s most important partners in South-east Asia. Mr Sunak wrote in a letter that there is enormous potential for both countries to achieve more together, especially in the areas of artificial intelligence, civil nuclear technology and digital defence. Several leaders from Malaysia also extended their congratulations to PM Wong. Deputy Prime Minister Zahid Hamidi said he is confident that Singapore will continue to thrive and prosper under PM Wong’s “capable leadership”, adding that the strong relationship between Malaysia and Singapore is built on mutual respect and cooperation. “We look forward to further deepening our partnership in areas of mutual interest, including economic development, education and trade,” he said on X. He also expressed “profound gratitude” to PM Wong’s predecessor, Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong, for his visionary leadership and commitment to fostering strong bilateral relations. Other Malaysian leaders, including Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh, International Trade and Industry Minister Tengku Zafrul Aziz and Johor Chief Minister Onn Hafiz Ghazi, also congratulated PM Wong on social media, noting the close ties between neighbours Singapore and Malaysia. In his post, Datuk Seri Zafrul added a photo of himself and PM Wong jamming on guitars in 2022 when they were both finance ministers. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken congratulated PM Wong, saying that the United States looks forward to working with PM Wong to strengthen its strategic partnership with Singapore and uphold international norms and standards in the Indo-Pacific region. Meanwhile, Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu and United Arab Emirates President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan wrote that they look forward to working with PM Wong and strengthening bilateral ties.