A recent renewal of commitment was made between Singapore and China for collaborating on research efforts of both nations as part of Singapore China Agreement on Research and Innovation. These include research work in the fields of sustainable urban development and healthy ageing.
Singapore’s National Research Foundation (NRF) and China’s Ministry of Science and Technology (Most) signed an implementation agreement on cooperation in science, technology and innovation, on 30 December 2019.
This new five-year agreement is based on the foundation of the current Agreement on Cooperation in Science and Technology, which was signed between the two countries in 1992.
Under this agreement, there will be more emphasis on translating science and technology research and development via joint innovation and enterprise activities.
A stronger focus will be placed on science, technology and innovation cooperation in conjunction with bigger cooperation projects between both countries.
NRF’s chief executive officer Low Teck Seng said that the new agreement is a representation of a strengthened commitment between Singapore and China to explore opportunities for working together in the areas of science and technology. Especially in areas where both countries share similar interests such as sustainability and the environment and urban sciences.
The agreement will also outline new ways for fostering tighter collaborations through means such as policy exchanges on the advancements of science, technology and innovation, interaction between scientists, and more opportunities to test technologies with the support of each other’s government agencies.
Research efforts will also be built on existing collaborations in science and technology through joint grant calls for collaboration in areas such as emerging infectious diseases and environment sciences.
NRF’s deputy chief executive officer Cheong Wei Yang and director-general for Most’s Department of International Cooperation Ye Dongbai had signed the agreement.
The signing of this agreement is in part of a meeting between Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat, chairman of NRF and China’s Minister of Science and Technology, Wang Zhigang.
Singapore has seen several collaborations with China for driving innovative efforts.
In September, we had reported on the partnership between the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) and the Chongqing Big Data Bureau (CQBDB) for moderating collaborations between Chinese and Singapore telecommunication companies.
This saw the launch of the China-Singapore (Chongqing) International Data Channel (IDC).
This joint initiative is aimed at building on the physical and digital connectivity between Western China and Singapore.
The China-Singapore (Chongqing) Demonstration Initiative on Strategic Connectivity (CCI) will focus on enhancing physical and digital trade, support data-driven businesses, and develop vibrant and innovative ICT industries within both countries.
The signing of 12 Memorandum of Understandings (MOUs) between the telecommunication companies and IDC users was also witnessed during the launch.
The IDC serves as a committed data channel between Singapore and Chongqing. It focuses on providing better network experience such as lower latency, lower packet loss and better network reliability for users in both Singapore and Chongqing.
With the features of this channel, it is expected to enhance digital connectivity between Southeast Asia and Western China, via Singapore and Chongqing respectively.
This channel will also bring about a wave of business opportunities, flowing between Southeast Asia and Western China.
