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Eight MOUs signed at the Third Singapore China Smart City Initiative

25 November 2021

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 The meeting also saw the launch of 14 new joint projects to bolster cooperation and innovation between the two cities in digital economy.

SINGAPORE, 25 November 2022 –The Ministry of Communications and Information (MCI) and Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) announced the inking of eight Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) and unveiled 14 new joint projects under the Singapore-China (Shenzhen) Smart City Initiative (SCI), at the 3rd Joint Implementation Committee (JIC) meeting today.

The JIC is co-chaired by Permanent Secretary for Communications and Information Mr Joseph Leong, and Mayor of Shenzhen Municipal People’s Government Mr Qin Weizhong. The meeting reported a doubling of the number of new joint projects compared to the previous year, as the SCI enters its third year of implementation. These new projects will deepen the ongoing collaboration between Singapore and Shenzhen in enabling digital transformation and policy innovation, and create new opportunities for our businesses and people in research and innovation, trade, sustainability, and talent development.

Singapore and Shenzhen strengthen digital ties for more integrated trade and business networks

Mr Leong said, “The Singapore-China (Shenzhen) Smart City Initiative, launched in 2019, has built stronger digital and business linkages between Singapore and Shenzhen. Despite challenges of the pandemic over the past three years, both sides have worked hard to enhance SCI as an effective platform for digital innovation, smart city cooperation, and business and people exchanges. Singapore and Shenzhen will actively promote a conducive business environment for companies to innovate and conduct cross-border transactions safely and smoothly, as we strengthen our economic recovery and resilience.”

One of the key areas of cooperation in the past year has been the facilitation of digital trade through the use of electronic Bills of Lading (eBLs). IMDA and Shenzhen’s Bureau of Commerce have assessed the results of successful technical trials on trade financing using simulated eBLs in the past year, and both sides are now poised to expand IMDA’s TradeTrust1 pilot with live commercial transactions involving banks, shippers, and other partners. This would pave the way for full digitalisation of the trade supply chain and bring the benefits of faster and more secured digital trade transactions to the ecosystem.

IMDA has also been deepening collaboration with TusStar, a leading technology incubator in China with an innovation network of more than 10,000 companies. TusStar will establish operations in Singapore as its ASEAN hub and expand its network in the areas of Artificial Intelligence (AI), Augmented Reality/Virtual Reality, and sensor technology. This partnership will connect technology start-ups from Singapore, Shenzhen, and other cities in China to new markets in the region.

New collaborations bring greater benefits through digitalisation

The 14 new joint projects reflect the transformative role of digital technologies across the SCI’s focus areas of digital connectivity, talent exchange and development, innovation and entrepreneurship. Notable projects feature the use of advanced technologies and AI for the green economy and sustainability, such as reducing carbon dioxide emissions in the transport sector, and enhancing battery management for electric vehicles.

To date, a total of 29 projects have been initiated and 20 MOUs have been signed under SCI. This strong momentum in SCI collaboration is a testament to Singapore’s and Shenzhen’s leading role in digital economy development, and the potential for SCI’s innovative projects to be scaled to more cities in Southeast Asia and the Greater Bay Area.

Annex A: List of MOUs signed at the 3rd SCI JIC Meeting (opens in new tab)

Annex B: List of Phase 3 Projects launched at the 3rd SCI JIC Meeting (opens in new tab)

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1 TradeTrust is a digital utility, a framework that comprises globally accepted standards and enables trusted interoperability through a public blockchain and support the exchange of electronic trade documents across digital platforms.