Former transport minister Lui Tuck Yew is Singapore's new Ambassador to the People's Republic of China, said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday.

Mr Lui, who was the country's Ambassador to Japan from June 2017 until last month, takes over the key post from Mr Stanley Loh - Singapore's Ambassador to China since March 2012.

The Singapore Embassy in Tokyo said in a Facebook post on Oct 26 that during Mr Lui's stint in Japan, he oversaw the strengthening of bilateral relations, exemplified by the numerous high-level visits between the two countries.

This year was especially significant, said the embassy, with Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and many Cabinet ministers visiting Japan to attend Group of 20 events during its G-20 presidency.

Before retiring from politics in 2015, Mr Lui, 58, was Transport Minister from 2011 to 2015.

He had taken on the portfolio of Second Minister for Defence in April 2015, and was Second Minister for Foreign Affairs from 2011 to 2012.

He announced his intention not to stand in the 2015 General Election in August that year, saying his decision to leave was a personal choice and one he had mulled over for some time.

Before taking on the transport hot seat, he was Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts from 2009 to 2011.

He was first elected as a Member of Parliament in 2006.

Prior to joining politics, Mr Lui was chief executive of the Housing Board from 2005 to 2006.

He was appointed navy chief in 1999, and held that post till 2003.

From 2003 to 2005, he was chief executive of the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore.

In a Facebook post yesterday, President Halimah Yacob wrote that she had presented a letter of credence to Mr Lui, and was confident that he would carry out his duties well.

Grace Ho