Singapore (Reported by Shin Min Daily News on September 26). On September 21, the International Day of Peace, Ma Yongming, Secretary of the Party Leadership Group and Resident Vice Chairman of the Chinese Calligraphers Association (CCA), led a six‑member delegation to visit Singapore. The delegation paid an official visit to the Singapore Calligraphers Association and held friendly discussions and artistic exchanges with Tan Siah Kwee, President of the Singapore Calligraphers Association, and other key leaders. This marks Ma Yongming’s first overseas delegation visit since taking office, attracting wide attention from the Chinese and Singaporean literary and art circles.
During the meeting, calligraphy representatives from China and Singapore conducted in‑depth consultations on the inheritance of traditional calligraphy art, international cultural exchanges, talent cultivation, public cultural services, and cross‑border artistic cooperation. Both sides agreed that China and Singapore share the same cultural origin. As an essential carrier of fine traditional Chinese culture, calligraphy serves as a vital bridge for people‑to‑people exchanges and friendly bilateral relations. Both parties expressed willingness to build a regular exchange platform, deepen cooperation in calligraphy creation, academic research, exhibition exchanges and youth talent training, promote the inheritance and dissemination of Chinese calligraphy in Southeast Asia, and advance cultural exchanges and mutual learning between China and Singapore.
The delegation consists of outstanding academic leaders and administrative backbones in China’s calligraphy circle. The accompanying members include: Xue Zhufeng, Chairman of Shanxi Calligraphers Association and Deputy Party Secretary of Jinzhong University; Hu Jikui, Director of the Information Department of Calligraphy Art Network of China Federation of Literary and Art Circles; Li Li, Chairman and Secretary-General of Inner Mongolia Calligraphers Association; Cheng Zhihong, Director of CCA and tutor of the CCA Calligraphy Training Center; Wu You, Deputy Director of the Foreign Liaison Department of CCA.
Industry insiders commented that this maiden overseas visit is of far‑reaching significance. It inaugurates a brand‑new cooperation chapter between the new leadership of the Chinese Calligraphers Association and overseas calligraphy organizations in Singapore, further consolidates the foundation of Sino‑Singapore calligraphy exchanges, and builds an important channel for Chinese traditional culture to radiate across ASEAN and integrate into the global artistic community.
Appendix: Brief Overview of Exchanges between Chinese Calligraphy Circles and the Singapore Calligraphers Association
In 1983, a delegation from the Singapore Calligraphers Association visited ten major cities in China. The following year, Shen Peng, a renowned Chinese calligrapher, led a delegation to Singapore to attend the 1st Singapore‑China Calligraphy Exchange Exhibition.
In 1986, a delegation of the Singapore Calligraphers Association travelled to Beijing for the 2nd Singapore‑China Calligraphy Exchange Exhibition. Since then, the Association has carried out continuous exchanges and reciprocal visits with calligraphers’ associations across multiple Chinese provinces and municipalities. To date, it has paid visits to or held exchange exhibitions in more than 20 Chinese provinces and municipalities.
In 2023, the Singapore Calligraphers Association celebrated its 55th anniversary. At the age of 83, Zhang Hai, Honorary Chairman of the Chinese Calligraphers Association, headed a 38‑member delegation to Singapore and co‑hosted the Zhang Hai‑Tan Siah Kwee Joint Calligraphy Exhibition together with Tan Siah Kwee, President of the Singapore Calligraphers Association.
In 2024, Li Xin, then‑Secretary of the Party Leadership Group of the Chinese Calligraphers Association, led a five‑member delegation to Singapore for the 5th Singapore‑China Calligraphy Exchange Exhibition, marking the 40th anniversary of the event.
In 2025, Sun Xiaoyun, Chairman of the Chinese Calligraphers Association, also led a five‑member delegation to Singapore to attend the 6th Singapore‑China Calligraphy Exchange Exhibition held at the China Cultural Centre in Singapore.
In 2026, Ma Yongming led a six‑member delegation to visit the Singapore Calligraphers Association, further carrying forward the long‑standing exchanges between the calligraphy communities of the two places.
Over the past more than 40 years, all successive chairmen of the Chinese Calligraphers Association have visited the Singapore Calligraphers Association, namely Qi Gong, Shao Yu, Shen Peng, Zhang Hai, Su Shishu, Sun Xiaoyun and Ma Yongming. Among them, Qi Gong visited Singapore four times and held a solo calligraphy exhibition there.
