Italy and Singapore: 52 years of friendship, and counting

THE ties of friendship between Italy and Singapore are strong and long-lasting.

Italy was the seventh country in the world to officially recognise Singapore after the the city-state gained independence in August 1965, more than 52 years ago.

But even before that, Italian tradesmen, businessmen and artists had been arriving on the shores of Singapore, contributing to the rapid development of its port and the surrounding city.