SBF promotes Singapore’s professional services at 4th CIFTIS in Beijing
- Twenty-eight Singapore companies to showcase the country’s strengths in the services sector.
- Singapore Day Seminar presents opportunities for Chinese and regional companies to tap on Singapore’s professional services to reach out to Asia and beyond under the “One Belt, One Road” Initiative.
Singapore Pavilion at 4th CIFTIS 2016
At this year’s fair in Beijing, the “Singapore – Modern Services and Connectivity Hub” National Pavilion will bring together 28 Singapore companies and six trade associations and chambers (TACs). Led by Ms Low Yen Ling, Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Trade and Industry, the participating companies will interact and forge strategic partnerships with service companies from China and the world. A key theme of the event is the role Singapore can play in the “One Belt, One Road” initiative in establishing multi-lateral relationships with China and facilitating trade, capital and the movement of people in the region.
Also featured at the Pavilion are the three Sino-Singapore joint projects – Suzhou Industrial Park, Tianjin Eco-City and the Chongqing Connectivity Initiative, which focus on Singapore’s key strengths in financial services, aviation, transport and logistics, and information and communications technology.
Singapore is one of the world’s leading financial centres. In Asia, it is the top hub for commodities and oil trading, and serves as a key link to markets in China and Asia. Singapore also offers a broad range of ancillary services encompassing financial, legal and other professional services. These advantages are critical as Singapore and China work together to encourage companies from both countries to explore cross-border partnerships in third countries under the “One Belt, One Road” initiative and the Masterplan on ASEAN Connectivity.
Mr Ho Meng Kit, SBF CEO said, “Singapore’s cosmopolitan talent pool, diversified business landscape and trusted legal and stable political framework make it attractive for professional services firms to set up shop and create innovative solutions for future business needs. As China steps up its development in its services sectors, we look forward to seeing more China and Singapore companies work together with their counterparts across ASEAN to bring progress in the ASEAN-China strategic partnership and shared prosperity in the region.”
Singapore Day Seminar
One key highlight of Singapore’s participation at the 4th CIFTIS is the Singapore Day Seminar themed “Assessing ASEAN and Global Markets through Singapore” on 29 May 2016. It will enable Chinese and regional companies to better understand Singapore’s unique position in the “One Belt, One Road” initiative, and how they can integrate their resources and achieve internationalisation with Singapore’s professional services. Ms Low too will be gracing the event to deliver a speech.
Also speaking at the Seminar are representatives from DP Information Group, United Overseas Bank (China) Limited, Rajah & Tann Singapore, Dentons Rodyk & Davidson, Sino-Singapore Tianjin Eco-City and the Singapore Management University. They will speak on sustainable urbanisation and Singapore’s role as a hub for information data, financing, legal resolution and talent development relating to the “One Belt, One Road” initiative.
Mr Poh Choon Ann, Vice Chairman of SBF’s China and North Asia Business Group, said, “Through this seminar, we will highlight the factors that appeal to Chinese companies to invest in Singapore. This includes Singapore’s strategic position as the gateway to Southeast Asia, coupled with our business-friendly environment and cultural similarities. We hope to showcase Singapore as an attractive springboard for regional and worldwide expansion.”
CIFTIS is jointly hosted by the Ministry of Commerce of the People’s Republic of China and the People’s Government of Beijing Municipality. The World Trade Organization, United Nations Conference on Trade and Development and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development are Permanent Support Institutions of the CIFTIS since 2012.
The last CIFTIS held in 2014 received 145,000 professional trade visitors from 117 countries and regions.