PHNOM PENH: Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs published letters on August 7 that were sent from Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong to Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen and his successor and son, Prime Minister Hun Manet. The letters were sent the day Prime Minister Hun Sen announced his upcoming resignation on July 26, just three days after the election.

PM Lee Hsien Loong was one of many regional leaders to congratulate Prime Minister Hun Sen on his Cambodian People’s Party victory, more than a week before the official results were announced on August 5. In his letter, Lee Hsien Loong praised the CPP victory as a clear endorsement of PM Hun Sen’s leadership and vision for Cambodia’s future. He credited the Cambodian prime minister with bringing peace stability, and development to the Cambodian people and lauded the country’s achievements in hosting the 2022 ASEAN Summit and the 2023 SEA Games and Para Games earlier this year.

He finished by lauding the longstanding friendship between the two countries as trade and investments continue to grow, specifically mentioning carbon credits and the export of renewable energy.

That same day, PM Lee Hsien Loong sent a letter to future Prime Minister Hun Manet, expressing his congratulations and reminding him of the longstanding ties between their two countries. The Singaporean PM noted how their relationship has grown under Hun Manet’s leadership as a military general in areas like trade, technical assistance and military exchanges. He said he looks forward to meeting Cambodia’s new prime minister in-person at the 43rd ASEAN Summit in Indonesia next month.

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong is himself the son of a former Singaporean prime minister, having taken office in 2004 and currently serving his fifth term.