Gifted visionary of singapore mourned

A political heavyweight, he was 'an old friend of the Chinese people' who had visited the country 30 times and watched history unfold

In Beijing's eyes, Lee Kuan Yew, the late founding father and leader of Singapore, was a political heavyweight whose presence was keenly felt during significant moments of China's development. He was not only "an old friend of the Chinese people" but also "the founder of China-Singapore relations", according to official Chinese news releases.

Lee pioneered bilateral, top level interactions 14 years ahead of the establishment of the two countries' diplomatic relations in 1990.