Speaking to the press on August 26 during a visit to China, Loong expressed his hope that all concerned parties will remain calm and restrain themselves to maintain a peaceful environment without tension in Southeast Asia. The Singaporean leader said every country in the region will be negatively impacted if tensions or clashes arise. He said he had a candid talk with his Chinese counterpart Li Keqiang on a number of issues related to bilateral ties. The two also discussed regional issues including the proposed review of the ASEAN-China free trade agreement related to ongoing territorial disputes in the East Sea.