Singapore, China sign MOUs to boost cooperation in areas such as green development, digital economy and maritime connectivity

SINGAPORE: Singapore and China on Saturday (Oct 25) signed and renewed agreements to drive cooperation across several areas, including green development, the digital economy, maritime connectivity, as well as information and communications technology.

The memoranda of understanding were exchanged on the first day of Chinese Premier Li Qiang’s two-day visit to Singapore.

Earlier, he received a ceremonial welcome at Parliament House, before a bilateral meeting was held between the delegations of both countries.

In his opening remarks during the meeting, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said he was delighted by the chance to return the hospitality he received during his trip to China in June.

“Your visit comes at an auspicious time as we mark 35 years of diplomatic ties between our two countries. Thirty-five years is not long in the history of nations, but these last 35 years have been a period of tremendous change and transformation for both our countries and for our region," Mr Wong said.

"Throughout these 35 years, our bilateral ties have continued to grow from strength to strength. The friendships have deepened, and cooperation has broadened to many different areas."

Mr Li, in his remarks, noted Singapore’s 60th year of independence this year, adding that during his visit, he has witnessed the achievements the country has made in various areas.

He said China will work with Singapore to uphold its diplomatic ties and friendship, expand cooperation to help both countries grow and also contribute to the peace and stability of the region.

In the evening, Mr Wong hosted an official dinner in Mr Li’s honour at the Gardens by the Bay.

In a toast to Mr Li, Mr Wong said that the ties between Singapore and China go back much further to the 1970s, with the friendship between early leaders Lee Kuan Yew and Deng Xiaoping.

The formal establishment of relations in 1990 marked the start of sustained and mutually beneficial cooperation, he said.

"We also look forward to the signing of the ASEAN-China Free Trade Area 3.0 Upgrade at the upcoming ASEAN Summit in KL – another step forward in deepening regional economic integration," said Mr Wong.

The prime minister will attend the three-day summit in the Malaysian capital from Sunday to Tuesday.

"For 35 years, Singapore and China have been important partners in each other’s development journeys,” said Mr Wong.

“I am confident that the new initiatives launched today will continue to bring benefits to our peoples, while contributing to the development of our wider region.”

On his part, Mr Li praised Singapore as a beautiful country with economic prosperity, cultural diversity, social harmony and a true “garden city” renowned globally. 

He said he believes that Singapore will continue to achieve success and an even brighter future under the leadership of Mr Wong and his government.

Mr Li added that China and Singapore share cultural affinities and a natural sense of closeness.

He recounted the moment after he got off the plane in Singapore, when Minister for Digital Development and Information Josephine Teo asked how he felt. 

He responded that he did not feel like he had arrived in a foreign country, as he felt a natural sense of familiarity and warmth every time he came here.

MEMORANDA OF UNDERSTANDING SIGNED

Singapore and China hold regular high-level exchanges.

Both sides concluded new MOUs on Saturday and also renewed existing ones.

Green development: An MOU on Enhancing Cooperation in Green Development was signed by Singapore’s Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) and China’s Ministry of Commerce.

It builds on an earlier one signed in June 2022, to promote policy sharing and business cooperation in areas like renewable energy, green building and green finance.

Both countries are set to deepen exchanges in green development, including in newer areas like carbon services and trading, carbon capture, utilisation and storage, low-carbon hydrogen, bioenergy and energy storage systems.

Digital economy: The two ministries also signed an MOU on Enhancing Cooperation in the Digital Economy.

It builds upon an earlier version, which sought to strengthen bilateral cooperation and exchanges in the sector by exploring joint opportunities for growth, and has seen good progress since.

It will see Singapore and China continue cooperating in areas such as investment cooperation, digital trade, sharing of best practices on digital economy regulations and policies, enabling digitally enabled services and establishing a trusted and secure digital environment.

Maritime collaboration: The transport ministries of Singapore and China also exchanged an MOU to establish the Singapore-China Green and Digital Shipping Corridor (GDSC).

It had earlier been signed by Mr Jeffrey Siow, Singapore’s Acting Minister for Transport, and his counterpart Liu Wei on Oct 19.

The new agreement will take Singapore and China’s GDSC cooperation to the national level, beyond the municipality and provincial-level ones, which had been established with Tianjin in 2023 and Shandong last year.

Both sides will work with industry stakeholders to advance maritime decarbonisation, enhance port and supply-chain efficiency, and develop supporting technologies, infrastructure, and standards to promote a more sustainable and connected maritime ecosystem.

The MOU also seeks to strengthen digitalisation in maritime transport operations, by promoting the use of data-driven systems to enhance efficiency, resilience and transparency.

Emergency management: Singapore’s Ministry of Home Affairs and China’s Ministry of Emergency Management signed an MOU to promote cooperation in emergency management.

Under the MOU, both parties will explore cooperation and mutual exchange of knowledge and expertise in firefighting, rescue and disaster management.

Suzhou Industrial Park: MTI’s Software Project Office and China’s Suzhou Industrial Park (SIP) Administrative Committee signed an MOU to further explore collaboration in third-party markets in developing the industrial park.

Training programme for officials: Both sides agreed to jointly develop a Third Country Training Programme for government officials from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and Timor-Leste, which is set to become the bloc’s 11th member.

The programme focuses on key areas such as the clean energy transition, sustainable urban development, climate resilience and the ASEAN Power Grid.

Food safety: Both countries renewed an MOU on Food Safety Cooperation, signed by Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu and China’s Minister of the State Administration for Market Regulation Luo Wen.

The MOU was first signed in 2020, and this updated version will cover new areas, such as the exchange of information and experience in food safety testing methodologies, and the regulation of food-health interface products, such as foods added with traditional Chinese medicinal materials.

Information and communications technology: An MOU on cooperation in the ICT field was renewed. It was first signed in May 2004 at the inaugural Joint Council for Bilateral Cooperation (JCBC) meeting.

During the bilateral meeting, Mr Li updated Mr Wong on the latest developments in China, including on the latest outcomes of the recently concluded Fourth Plenum of the Communist Party.

"Prime Minister Wong expressed Singapore’s confidence in China’s overall long-term trajectory and development prospects," said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a press statement.

On Sunday, Mr Li will call on Acting President Eddie Teo. As President Tharman Shanmugaratnam is on leave overseas, Mr Teo, as chairman of the Council of Presidential Advisers, will exercise the functions of the office of the president.

The Chinese premier will then engage Singapore and Chinese business leaders at the Singapore-China Business Roundtable, hosted by Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong, who is also Minister for Trade and Industry.