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Catalan President Salvador Illa visited Singapore as part of a five-day trip to Southeast Asia, which also included Vietnam, aimed at strengthening economic cooperation in the region. In Singapore, he met Prime Minister Lawrence Wong to discuss topics such as public housing, port cooperation, artificial intelligence, and air connectivity between Singapore and Barcelona.
Speaking to CNA’s Asia Tonight on Thursday, July 30, 2026, Mr Illa highlighted Singapore’s public housing model as a potential example for Catalonia, the autonomous region in northeastern Spain, which is facing housing challenges. He noted Singapore’s strong track record in delivering affordable homes and said he believes aspects of the model could be adapted for Catalonia. "The key takeaway was that housing should not be left entirely to market forces," he added.
Before arriving in Singapore, Mr Illa visited Vietnam, where he met Deputy Prime Minister Pham Gia Tuc and toured Catalan companies operating in the country.
On connectivity, the flag carrier announced in May 2026 that it would launch a five-times-weekly Singapore-Madrid service via Barcelona starting October 26, increasing weekly flights between Singapore and Barcelona from two to five. Mr Illa said Barcelona is already well connected to cities across Europe, but the next step is to strengthen air links with Asian counterparts.
Beyond trade and investment, Mr Illa remarked that Singapore offers broader lessons for Europe, noting, "In Europe, some people say that diversity makes you weaker. But here in Singapore, you see that's the other way around. It makes you stronger."
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