Lawrence Wong: Who is Singapore’s Prime Minister?

Lawrence Wong in 2022, when he was named leader of the so-called fourth generation. Photo by Ore Huiying /Photographer: Ore Huiying/Bloomb

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(Bloomberg) — Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong won his mandate on Saturday to lead the trade-dependent city into the tariff chaos wrought by US President Donald Trump. He’ll also need to navigate the shifting demands of voters frustrated by high prices as he embarks on his first elected term as leader.

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It won’t be easy. 

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Wong’s ruling People’s Action Party retained its supermajority in the May 3 election, and with nearly 66% of the popular vote, improved on its 2020 performance. Now Wong will have to quickly address the headwinds facing the city-state of 6 million people, which built itself up over decades from a colonial port into a major financial and trading hub.

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What is Lawrence Wong’s background?

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Like the majority of Singaporeans, Wong was brought up in public housing estates. His father hailed from China, and traveled as a teenager from the southern island of Hainan to British-controlled Malaya to work as a chef’s assistant on the railways. 

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During his childhood, Wong was once bound up and held at knife-point when his home was ransacked by thieves — a story he later recounted as education minister. Years later, he obtained Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Economics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the University of Michigan, respectively. He also received a Master’s in Public Administration from the Harvard Kennedy School.

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After getting a government scholarship to join the civil service, Wong soon found himself in the trade and finance ministries. He was first elected as a member of parliament in 2011. But he really rose to prominence, in part, due to his leading role on a committee overseeing the nation’s Covid-19 response. 

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The 52-year-old leader is married to Loo Tze Lui, a former banker and wealth manager. They don’t have children. 

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What’s he said about Trump’s tariffs and other priorities?

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Wong has been vocal about the uncertainty unleashed by the escalating trade war and the potential impact on Singapore. 

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“We are in the midst of a messy transition globally” as the US steps back from being a “guarantor of order” in the world, Wong said in a speech last month. “Neither China nor any other country is willing – or able to – fill the vacuum.” 

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Watch Wong’s interview at the 2022 Bloomberg New Economy Forum here

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Heading into this year’s vote, he made his team younger and more diverse, saying that “they will inject fresh energy, new ideas and diverse perspectives to strengthen our team for Singapore.”

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Domestically he’ll have to navigate efforts to support a working class grappling with elevated living costs without eroding Singapore’s standing as a global wealth and finance center. In a budget speech this year, Wong, who is also finance minister, avoided raising wealth taxes but took steps to bolster the lower and middle class with supermarket vouchers, utility and tax rebates, and support for large families.