Lawrence Wong sworn in as Singaporean Prime Minister

Lawrence Wong on Wednesday evening took his oath of office as Singapore's fourth Prime Minister at the Istana, the country's presidential palace.

Wong still holds the position of Finance Minister to ensure the continuity and stability of the country.

Regarding politics, Wong clearly outlined two roles of the new government. Firstly, the government will decide on and implement necessary and important policies after conducting polls in different groups in society. The second is to expand interactions with the public, meaning finding ways to engage different groups, listening to each other's views, and compromising for Singapore to move forward.

Economically, Singapore is at a high level of development in areas such as housing, health care, education, and transportation. Wong wants Singapore to become a place with many different paths to success, in which people from all walks of life have basic needs met. When considering how best to move Singapore forward, the new government is ready to reconsider basic assumptions to accommodate the circumstances, needs, and expectations of society, the region, and the world.

Regarding foreign affairs, Wong noted that the transition of power comes amidst the world's major changes. Singapore's approach is to stick to national interests and act in a way that is consistent and principled.

Singapore currently enjoys a high international reputation within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and promoting relations with ASEAN is one of the island state's top goals.

Before the swearing-in ceremony, opposition parties congratulated Wong and thanked outgoing Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong for serving the public and leading the country for decades.