In an interview with a Chinese current affairs programme for a special feature on 25 years of diplomatic ties between Singapore and China, SMU School of Social Sciences Dean and Professor of Political Science James T H Tang shared his views on how bilateral ties have evolved over the years, and discussed how the relations can be developed further and continue to be mutually beneficial. While Prof Tang said that it would not be easy to fully resolve the South China Sea dispute within the next two to three years, he noted that China’s pragmatic approach, focusing on economic issues, trade and investment relations, is a positive sign that it is keen to strengthen its bilateral ties and find a new direction for its relations with ASEAN.