Gan Kim Yong, Minister of Trade and Industry, and Wang Wentao, Minister of Commerce of the People’s Republic of China, signed two Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) on promoting cooperation in green development and improving collaboration in the digital economy, respectively.
The green economy is becoming increasingly vital to assist nations in addressing the difficulties that are the result of global climate change, while the digital economy is a crucial driver of economic growth on a worldwide scale.
The Green Development MOU aims to improve bilateral cooperation in the green economy through policy sharing and business cooperation in renewable energy, green building, green finance, and water and waste management. Singapore and China will also try to get businesses to work together on research and development and promote new technologies that use less carbon.
The signing of the two MOUs not only signifies Singapore and China’s commitment to broaden and deepen our bilateral cooperation but also provides new impetus for our countries to explore new areas of cooperation in the digital economy and green economy that can address shared policy priorities and business interests.
– Gan Kim Yong, Minister of Trade and Industry
The Digital Economy MOU aims to make it easier for Singapore and China to work together and share ideas in the digital economy by looking for ways to grow together. Both sides will work together more on things like investments, digital trade, sharing best practices on digital economy rules and policies, allowing digitally-enabled services, and creating a safe digital environment that people can trust.
Working groups will be established by the Ministry of Trade and Industry and the Ministry of Commerce of China to monitor the two MOUs’ respective implementations.
Singapore-China Defence Ministers’ Dialogue
Meanwhile, Singapore welcomed the Chinese State Councillor and Minister of National Defence General (GEN) Wei Fenghe, who co-chaired the inaugural Singapore-China Defence Ministers’ Dialogue through Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen.
The Ministerial Dialogue is part of the 2019 upgraded Agreement on Defence Exchanges and Security Cooperation (ADESC) signed by Singapore and China, which shows development in the bilateral defence cooperation since the ADESC was first signed in January 2008.
Both Ministers emphasised their commitment to strengthening bilateral defence cooperation throughout the dialogue, including the resumption and regular conduct of flagship bilateral exercises that had been postponed owing to the COVID-19 pandemic. Under the auspices of the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus, both Ministers also discussed global security challenges and practical methods to improve ASEAN-China defence exchanges and cooperation.
Following the meeting, Dr Ng and GEN Wei observed the signing of agreements that will advance cooperation in military education and intellectual exchanges among military schools and think tanks, as agreed upon under the improved ADESC.
The Agreement on Five Year Professional Course Exchange between the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) and the Ministry of National Defence of China is renewed every five years to allow Singapore Armed Forces and People’s Liberation Army (PLA) officers to cross-attend courses. It was last signed in 2017.
The MOU on Academic Cooperation between SAFTI Military Institute (MI) and the PLA Academy of Military Sciences permits both institutions to strengthen academic exchanges through study visits and Track 1.5 discussions. SAFTI MI also has a Memorandum of Cooperation in Academic Research and Cooperative Activities with the PLA National Defence University, which was signed in 2016 and was extended for another five years in 2021.
