Singapore's Minister for Defense Chan Chun Sing emphasized in an exclusive interview with CGTN anchor Xu Qinduo on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference that genuine mutual understanding must go beyond the surface and delve deep into each other's realities.

Trust, once broken, is hard to repair. It takes generations to build – through student exchanges, grassroots connections and institutionalized efforts. Singapore-China ties exemplify this: official relations were forged in the 1990s, but friendship runs deep.