From Suzhou to AI: Singapore, China eye new playbook for economic ties

Singapore and China should look to the next phase of cooperation through potential projects in artificial intelligence and the green economy, after decades of economic ties anchored by industrial parks, eco-cities and transport corridors.

Singapore Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong said on Friday that the relationship had “never been static”, arguing that the economic challenges of each era shaped the flagship developments of that time.

At the FutureChina Global Forum held in the city state, Gan, who is also trade minister, outlined how the Suzhou Industrial Park, launched in 1994, supported China’s early industrialisation and opening up, while creating opportunities for Singapore companies.

He also highlighted how the cooperative urban development project Tianjin Eco-City, launched in 2008, allowed both sides to look at sustainable urban development.