Then vice-president Xi Jinping, right, meets Singapore's former prime minister, Lee Kuan Yew, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, in this May 23, 2011, file photo. [Photo by Xu Jingxing/Asianewsphoto]

Lee Kuan Yew, Singapore's former Prime Minister, is one of the few world leaders who have met with China's five top leaders. Lee has visited China as many as 33 times since his first visit in 1976.

Lee is acclaimed as the "founder of close Sino-Singapore relations" by present Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, who is also Lee's oldest son.

Major meetings with Chinese leaders

1976 Mao Zedong met with Lee in Beijing

1978 Deng Xiaoping visited Singapore and had a meeting with Lee

1988 Deng Xiaoping met with Lee during Lee's visit in Beijing

2000 Zhu Rongji met with Lee in Singapore during the China-ASEAN leaders' meeting

2002 Jiang Zemin met with Lee in Beijing

2004 Hu Jintao, Wen Jiabao met with Lee in Beijing

2010 Xi Jinping visited Singapore and had a meeting with Lee

2011 Xi Jinping met with Lee in Beijing

Lee Kuan Yew on Xi Jinping

"He is a thoughtful man who has gone through many hardships. I would put him in the same league as Nelson Mandel. They all have strong self-control and won’t let individual misfortune affect their judgment."