- Bilateral MOUs Signed During Chinese Premier Li Qiang’s First Visit.
- Leaders Highlight Deepening Cooperation and Free Trade Principles.
- Singapore-China Corridor Builds on Existing Tianjin and Shandong Partnerships.
Singapore and China have come together to collaborate on decarbonising and digitalising shipping routes between the two nations by creating a national green and digital shipping corridor. This memorandum of understanding (MOU) is one of eight agreements that were exchanged on October 25 during Chinese Premier Li Qiang’s inaugural official visit to Singapore, which was extended by Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, reports The Business Times.
Leaders Emphasise Deepening Cooperation and Upholding Free Trade
During the meeting, PM Wong said: “We would like to see how we can deepen our cooperation further, and also how we can work together to uphold the key principles of free trade and the rules-based multilateral order.”
Premier Li added: “Pragmatic cooperation will better serve the modernisation of our two countries and make greater contributions to the peaceful and stable development of our region. I am willing to have a full and frank exchange of views with the prime minister on issues of common concern.”
Upgrading Existing Shipping Arrangements
The new corridor builds on current partnerships with Tianjin municipality and Shandong province, focusing on testing digital solutions and alternative fuels. Tianjin is home to the largest port in northern China, while Shandong boasts Qingdao, one of the busiest container ports in the world. The Singapore-China corridor is part of a broader global network of green and digital shipping corridors, with Singapore already operating six others, including routes to Los Angeles, Long Beach, Rotterdam, Japan, Australia, and, most recently, India.
The MOU was signed on October 19 by Singapore’s Acting Transport Minister Jeffrey Siow and China’s Transport Minister Liu Wei. This agreement aims to push forward decarbonisation efforts, enhance port and supply chain efficiency, and develop the necessary technologies, infrastructure, and standards to support these initiatives.
Strengthening Economic and Trade Ties
This MOU capitalises on the strengths of both countries in areas like manufacturing, supply chains, regulatory frameworks, and financial resources. China is home to six of the world’s ten largest container ports and has been Singapore’s top trading partner since 2013, with bilateral trade projected to hit S$170 billion in 2024, reflecting a 1.8% increase from 2023.
During Li’s visit, other MOUs were also signed, including a joint ASEAN training programme for government officials that focuses on clean energy transition, sustainable urban development, and climate resilience. This programme also supports the ASEAN Power Grid, which has recently made strides with a new subsea cable connecting Indonesia and Singapore, along with a US$10 billion funding initiative.
Green Development, Digital Economy, and Emergency Management
Singapore and China have come together to boost their cooperation in green development, the digital economy, and emergency management. They plan to share their know-how in areas like firefighting, rescue operations, and disaster management. They’ve also renewed and updated existing MOUs related to food safety and ICT.
These agreements are set to pave the way for business partnerships in exciting fields such as carbon trading, carbon capture, low-carbon hydrogen, and digital trade, while also promoting the sharing of best practices in digital economy regulations. Additionally, another MOU is focused on enhancing Singapore’s role as a launchpad for two-way investments with the Suzhou Industrial Park, which will help stimulate regional trade and investment flows.
Marking 35 Years of Diplomatic Ties
Li’s visit coincides with 35 years of China-Singapore diplomatic relations. In a statement, he noted: “Our political mutual trust has steadily deepened, practical cooperation has yielded fruitful outcomes, and people-to-people exchanges have grown closer, setting a fine example of mutual learning and mutual benefit.”
Referring to the upgrade of relations in 2023 to an “all-round high-quality future-oriented partnership”, Li said: “China stands ready to work with Singapore to build greater synergy between our development strategies, expand mutually beneficial cooperation across the board, continue to pursue the path of modernisation hand in hand, and make greater contributions to upholding true multilateralism and promoting common development of the region.” Earlier, PM Wong and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing in June 2025 discussed new strategic plans to advance bilateral relations, creating broader opportunities for cooperation and partnership.
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Source: The Business Times
