Singapore-China Friendship: Working Hand-in-Hand, Deepening from Generation to Generation

Teo Chee Hean

Senior Minister of Singapore

On 14 April 2019, I met with Member of the Politburo of the CPC Central Committee, Minister of the Organisation Department of the CPC Central Committee Chen Xi for the Singapore-China Forum on Leadership. This was the seventh in the series which was inaugurated in 2009. This years forum was held at the China Executive Leadership Academy in Yanan, following on the forums in 2017 in Singapore and Jing Gangshan in 2015.

These forums are part of the long-standing, broad and deep cooperation between Singapore and China since our special friendship was established between our senior leaders Mr Deng Xiaoping and Mr Lee Kuan Yew in the 1970s. 2018 was the 40th anniversary of Chinas reform and opening up.  Singaporeans were heartened that the Government of China conferred the Reform and Friendship Award on Singapores Founding Prime Minister Mr Lee Kuan Yew to remember and appreciate Mr Lee and Singapores contributions to Chinas reform and opening up.

Working Hand-in-Hand for Mutual Beneficial Cooperation

We have continued to work closely together to further strengthen bilateral cooperation over the years, deepening our partnership from generation to generation. Our bilateral relationship was upgraded to an “All Round Cooperative Partnership Progressing with the Times” when President Xi Jinping visited Singapore in 2015.  Regular high-level exchanges have enabled leaders from both sides to maintain frequent and close communication, bringing about cooperation in new areas that are aligned with the development priorities of our two countries. Last year, Singapore hosted visits by three of Chinas top leaders, namely Premier Li Keqiang, Vice Premier Han Zheng and Vice President Wang Qishan.  Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, and both Singapores Deputy Prime Ministers separately visited China last year, and are visiting China again this year.

2018 was a good year for bilateral relations as we built on past achievements and took our relations to a new level. The Belt and Road Initiative represents a “new generation” in our bilateral cooperation. During the JCBC co-chaired with Vice Premier Han Zheng in Singapore in September, we made further progress in our cooperation under the “Belt and Road” framework, through the four platforms of infrastructure connectivity, financial connectivity, third party collaboration and professional services.

We also refreshed and upgraded three key bilateral initiatives. First is the upgraded China-Singapore Free Trade Agreement (CSFTA). As the first FTA signed by China with an Asian country, the CSFTA has been in force since 2009 and brought substantive benefits for our two peoples. Today, China is Singapores largest trading partner, while Singapore has been Chinas largest foreign investor since 2013.The upgraded CSFTA will further deepen bilateral economic cooperation and send a strong signal of our joint commitment to trade liberalisation and the multilateral rules-based trading system. Second, we have upgraded the status of the Southern Transport Corridor under the China-Singapore (Chongqing) Demonstration Initiative on Strategic Connectivity (CCI) to the CCI-New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor (ILSTC). Last year, I travelled from Qinzhou in Guangxi through Nanning, Chongqing, Xining and Lanzhou along this route. This new trade corridor has established a strategic link between the New Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road. By promoting both traditional and new generation forms of connectivity such as multi-modal transport, data and finance, the CCI has shown positive initial results in improving the overall business environment, catalysing development in Western China and promoting trade between China and Southeast Asian countries. Third, the China-Singapore Guangzhou Knowledge City (CSGKC) was elevated to a State-level Bilateral Cooperation Project in 2018. Aimed to serve as a model for economic transformation, the CSGKC has attracted more than 1400 companies with total registered capital of CNY 132.3 billion (approximately S$ 26 billion) since its inception in 2010.With the elevation, the CSGKC will progress to its next phase of development and promote deeper cooperation in the areas of technology innovation, IP rights, advanced manufacturing and talent development, contributing to the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

Developing Our People, Passing on from Generation to Generation

Human resource development is a key pillar of Singapore-China cooperation, as a way to pass on the legacy of previous generations of leaders and groom a new generation to take our two countries close bilateral partnership and future development forward.  Our premier platform is the Singapore-China Forum on Leadership, which is a high-level forum for Singapore and China to exchange experiences in governance and leadership development.  Notwithstanding our differences in size, history and culture, we have had fruitful discussions on various issues of common interest at the forum over the years, such as leadership development for national innovation, strengthening national unity, and fostering integrity in government.  These interactions have not only helped to promote better understanding of each others policies but have also catalysed new ideas for policy-making, and provided the opportunity for younger leaders to know each other.

The Leadership Forum was our first following the 19th Party Congress of the CPC in November 2017.  This years theme is “Addressing Peoples Aspirations for Better Lives”.  This topic is meaningful and timely as our societies become more developed and the aspirations of our people become more diverse.  In line with these trends, our two governments have refreshed our vision for national development and implemented reforms to deliver on new socio-economic priorities.  I look forward to co-chairing the forum with Central Organisation Department Minister Chen Xi, and discussing with our Chinese friends how we can create a better environment for our people to achieve their aspirations and lead fulfilling lives.  For the upcoming Leadership Forum, I brought many of Singapores next generation Ministers, including our new Minister in-charge of the Civil Service and concurrently Minister for Trade and Industry, Mr. Chan Chun Sing.  He is the Singapore Deputy Co-Chair of the Forum this year.

We have also been working closely together on various bilateral training programmes, catering to the needs of new generations of officials on both sides.  Since the mid-1990s, more than 55,000 Chinese officials have attended programmes in Singapore.  Our senior officials have also travelled to different parts of China as part of their leadership development programmes, to broaden their understanding of China and learn from Chinas experiences.  Singapore has also established human resource development programmes with local Chinese governments, such as Guangdong and Chongqing.  Through these programmes, our officials have forged stronger friendships and developed greater mutual understanding which enhance the foundations of our bilateral relationship.

Continuing to Open Up New Win-Win Cooperation

There are many opportunities for Singapore and China to further broaden and deepen bilateral cooperation, particularly as China embarks on its next phase of development. Singapore can build upon its extensive cooperation with China through our three Government-to-Government projects as well as the seven provincial Business Councils.  This year, we will be celebrating the 25th anniversary of our iconic China-Singapore Suzhou Industrial Park.  We will also be establishing a Singapore-Shanghai Comprehensive Cooperation Council, which will enable Singapore to further contribute to and participate in the development of the Yangtze River Delta region.

We are also embarking on new initiatives in legal and judicial cooperation for commercial transactions, building on our strong mutual trust and the forward-looking nature of our relationship. In the current digital and technological age, Singapore and China can also complement our respective efforts in adopting technology to improve the lives of our peoples and explore greater cooperation in smart cities development.

Finally, we will continuously refresh our bilateral cooperation and human resource training programmes to keep up-to-date with our two countries development agendas. This will allow us to continue to work hand-in-hand to deal with new emerging social issues, such as meeting the aspirations of a better educated and globalised young population, and the need for effective and affordable healthcare and elderly care for our senior citizens.

As we head into the 30th anniversary of the establishment of formal bilateral relations in 2020, Singapore and China will continue to build on the strong foundation laid by our former leaders to foster a closer friendship and deeper cooperation between our future generations. Together, we can continue to work hand-in-hand to overcome common challenges and strengthen our bilateral cooperation to better serve the interests of our two peoples for generations to come.