Officials from China and Singapore on Monday affirmed their commitments to maintaining unimpeded supply chains and trade amid the COVID-19 pandemic, and agreed to safeguard globalization and stabilize the global supply chain.
In a minister-level video conference on Monday, Deputy Head of China’s National Development and Reform Commission Ning Jizhe spoke with Singaporean Minister for Trade and Industry Chan Chun Sing. Both agreed that bilateral economic relations remain strong.
According to a statement published by China’s National Development and Reform Commission, the two officials said COVID-19 is a global crisis which requires a collective response from the whole international community as well as strengthened cooperation.
Both emphasized the cooperation between China and Singapore under the Belt and Road Initiative.
China and Singapore signed memorandums of understanding in 2018 and 2019 to promote cooperation between enterprises from the two countries and third markets.
Both officials agreed that such cooperation has progressed smoothly, and they outlined the first list of key cooperation projects in third markets. Enhanced bilateral cooperation in infrastructure connectivity and the accommodation of funds were also discussed.
Singapore has also actively participated in China’s regional development.
Notable intergovernmental cooperation projects between China and Singapore are the China-Singapore Suzhou Industrial Park, the Sino-Singapore Tianjin Eco-city and the China-Singapore (Chongqing) Demonstration Project on Strategic Connectivity.
Both officials specifically reaffirmed their support of the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor, a trade and logistics passage under the framework of the China-Singapore (Chongqing) Demonstration Initiative on Strategic Connectivity, to connect trade channels between China’s western region, Southeast Asia and other regions.
As both China and Singapore are tech-heavy countries, the two have been exploring the technology arena further by working on the Singapore-China (Shenzhen) Smart City Initiative.
Amid the pandemic, focus has been placed on digital economic cooperation between the two countries. Ning and Chan said the implementation of projects under the smart city initiative would be promoted and prioritized.
Further exchanges are expected at the 16th meeting of the Joint Council for Bilateral Cooperation later this year.
China-Singapore Suzhou Industrial Park:Xinhua
