• Fourth SMU China Forum focused on Singapore and China Chongqing Connectivity Initiative’s developments and opportunities
• SMU contributes to Singapore’s and the region’s growth and development through multi-disciplinary research and talent development
• Over 15 prominent speakers from government, business and academic sectors shared strategic Sino-Singapore insights

The Singapore Management University (SMU) hosted the fourth SMU China Forum on 17 October 2016. This year’s Forum was organised within the context of the third Government-to-Government level project between Singapore and China – the China-Singapore (Chongqing) Demonstration Initiative on Strategic Connectivity, which was launched in November 2015 and has gained significant traction since.

Reviewing 2016 and looking ahead at 2017 and beyond, the morning session provided a broad overview of the economic transition that China is presently undergoing, while the SMU-Stratagem Group Sino-Singapore Dialogue in the afternoon session discussed Chongqing’s vital role in China’s regional development strategies, and how Singapore businesses can leverage the Chongqing Connectivity Initiative (CCI) to tap vast opportunities in the western region of China.

In his welcome remarks to open the Forum, SMU President Professor Arnoud De Meyer said that SMU aims to value-add to Singapore and the region’s growth and development through its multi-disciplinary research in societal issues and challenges related to the world. As a knowledge institution possessing relevant expertise and capabilities, SMU was able to contribute to the CCI with the establishment of a tripartite MOU between SMU, Chongqing University (CQU) and Y3 Technologies Pte Ltd in Sep 2016 to jointly establish a Logistics Big Data Lab at CQU. The partnership aimed to foster research collaborations between industry and academic and nurture promising talents in data analytics to spur the development of the logistics industry in Chongqing.  

[Photo: Mr Sun Xiyong, Deputy Director-General, China-Singapore (Chongqing) Demonstration Initiative on Strategic Connectivity, China, delivering his keynote speech.]

Eminent speakers invited to deliver keynote addresses were:

• Mr Sun Xiyong, Deputy Director-General, China-Singapore (Chongqing) Demonstration Initiative on Strategic Connectivity, China
• Mdm Lin Dajian, Former Deputy Director-General, Department of International Cooperation, National Development and Reform Commission, China
• Professor Wu Xiaobo, Dean, School of Management and Director, National Institute of Innovation Management, Zhejiang University, China

[Photo: The Roundtable Discussion I on “China’s Economic Development and Regional Responses”, chaired by Professor James Tang, Special Advisor (Greater China) to SMU President, and Dean, SMU School of Social Sciences (standing), comprised panelists (left to right):

• Ms Zhao Jing, Special Assistant to Deputy Director-General, International Cooperation Centre of the National Development and Reform Commission, China
• Associate Professor Henry Gao, SMU School of Law; and Member, Advisory Board, World Trade Organisation (WTO) Chairs Programme, WTO Secretariat
• Professor Wu Xiaobo, Dean, School of Management and Director, National Institute of Innovation Management, Zhejiang University
• Mr Santitarn Sathirathai, Head, Emerging Asia Economics, Credit Suisse, Singapore
• Mdm Lin Dajian, Former Deputy Director-General, Department of International Cooperation, National Development and Reform Commission.]

The SMU-Stratagem Group Sino-Singapore Dialogue that took place in the afternoon further discussed opportunities and challenges in Chongqing and China’s western region

[Photo: The Roundtable Discussion II on “Takeaways and experiences from Singapore’s G-to-G Projects in Suzhou Industrial Park and Tianjin Eco-City, and strategies to navigate the Chinese market”, chaired by Assistant Professor Zhang Wei, SMU School of Law (extreme right), comprised panelists (left to right):

• Mr Goh Toh Sim, Executive Director and President of Investment & Asset Management, EC World Asset Management Pte Ltd, Singapore                                                                                                             
• Mr Tang Tuck Weng, Senior Director, Eco-City Project Office, Ministry of National Development, Singapore
• Dr Liu Jianxing, Deputy Director-General, International Cooperation Centre of the National Development and Reform Commission, China.]

[Photo: The Roundtable Discussion III on “Chongqing’s vision and plans for the 3rd Sino-Singapore G-to-G Project – Opportunities and Challenges in the implementation of the Chongqing Connectivity Initiative against the backdrop of the Belt and Road Initiative”, chaired by Mr Adrian Phua, Managing Director, Stratagem Group, Singapore (extreme right), comprised panelists (left to right):

• Mr Sun Mingming, Director, Yubei Office for the China-Singapore (Chongqing) Demonstration Initiative on Strategic Connectivity, China
• Mr Sun Xiyong, Deputy Director-General, China-Singapore (Chongqing) Demonstration Initiative on Strategic Connectivity, China
• Mr Chin Phei Chen, Managing Director, China Corporate Strategic Relations, CapitaLand China
• Professor Lau Hoong Chuin, SMU School of Information Systems, and Director, Fujitsu-SMU Urban Computing and Engineering Lab.]

They exchanged their take on the following topics:

• China’s economic development and regional responses
• China’s Vision of the One Belt One Road (OBOR) initiative
• Takeaways and experience gained from Singapore’s two G-to-G projects in Suzhou Industrial Park and Tianjin Eco-city, and strategies to navigate in the Chinese market
• Chongqing’s plans and visions for the Sino-Singapore third G-to-G project – opportunities and challenges in the implementation of the Chongqing Connectivity Initiative within China’s OBOR initiative

Through this annual platform, SMU aggregated the illuminating insights of experts, senior government officials and industry captains on the impact of China’s slowdown and reforms on Singapore’s open economy. Professor James Tang, Dean of SMU School of Social Sciences and Special Advisor to SMU President on Greater China; Associate Professor Henry Gao; Assistant Professor Zhang Wei (both of SMU school of Law); and Professor Lau Hoong Chuin (School of Information Systems), also contributed their expert views to the discourse as panelists or moderators for the several roundtable discussions.    

This year’s SMU China Forum was supported by Stratagem Group. Some 250 participants from the business, government and academic sectors attended the event.

[Photo: The SMU China Forum 2016 was well-attended by some 250 participants from the business, government and academic sectors.]

Distinguished experts from the business, academic and government sectors included:

• Professor James Tang, Special Advisor (Greater China) to SMU President, and Dean, SMU School of Social Sciences
• Associate Professor Henry Gao, SMU School of Law; and Member, Advisory Board, WTO Chairs Programme, WTO Secretariat
• Professor Lau Hoong Chuin, SMU School of Information Systems, and Director, Fujitsu-SMU Urban Computing and Engineering Lab
• Assistant Professor Zhang Wei, SMU School of Law
• Mr Adrian Phua, Managing Director, Stratagem Group, Singapore
• Mr Chin Phei Chen, Managing Director, China Corporate Strategic Relations, CapitaLand China
• Mr Goh Toh Sim, Executive Director and President of Investment & Asset Management, EC World Asset Management Pte Ltd, Singapore                                                                                                             
• Dr Liu Jianxing, Deputy Director-General, International Cooperation Centre of the National Development and Reform Commission, China
• Mr Liang Wentao, Former Director-General, Asian Affairs Department, Ministry of Commerce, PR China
• Mr Santitarn Sathirathai, Head, Emerging Asia Economics, Credit Suisse, Singapore
• Mr Sun Mingming, Director, Yubei Office for the China-Singapore (Chongqing) Demonstration Initiative on Strategic Connectivity, China
• Mr Tang Tuck Weng, Senior Director, Eco-City Project Office, Ministry of National Development, Singapore
• Ms Zhao Jing, Special Assistant to Deputy Director-General, International Cooperation Centre of the National Development and Reform Commission, China

[Featured photo: SMU President Professor Arnoud De Meyer (second from right) with the eminent keynote speakers from China: (left to right) Mdm Lin Dajian, Former Deputy Director-General, Department of International Cooperation, National Development and Reform Commission; Mr Sun Xiyong, Deputy Director-General, China-Singapore (Chongqing) Demonstration Initiative on Strategic Connectivity; and Professor Wu Xiaobo, Dean, School of Management and Director, National Institute of Innovation Management, Zhejiang University.]