The Singapore Nanjing Eco Hi-tech Island Promotion Conference was held in Singapore on Aug 18, aiming for deeper cooperation between Nanjing and Singapore on the transformation of scientific and technological achievements in fields such as information technology, ecological protection, and new finance.

The event was hosted by the People's Government of Jianye District in Nanjing and organized by the Management Committee of Nanjing Eco Hi-tech Island Economic Development Zone and Singapore Nanjing Eco Hi-tech Island Development Co., Ltd. It was also co-organized by the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry, with strong support from the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade and the Singapore FinTech Association. Distinguished guests from the Singapore government, well-known companies, the business community, and representatives from universities and research institutions attended the conference. Yao Shengqiang, the director of the Management Committee of Nanjing Eco Hi-tech Island Economic Development Zone in Jiangsu, hosted it.

Edward Ang, Chairman of the International Affairs Committee of the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce & Industry, represented the Singapore business community to welcome the delegation from Jianye district. He appreciated the significance of the solid and close cooperation between Singapore and the Nanjing Eco Hi-Tech Island (SNEI).

He mentioned that the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce & Industry has already established its Jiangsu representative office on SNEI and will continue to promote cooperation between Singaporean enterprises, universities, and research institutions.

Jiang Chen, head of Jianye district, said in his speech that over 600 years ago, the famous Chinese navigator Zheng He started his voyages from Jiangxin Island and visited Singapore several times, building up the friendship between China and Singapore. The starting point was Jiangxin Island, now the Singapore Nanjing Eco Hi-Tech Island. In the first half of this year, Jianye district's GDP growth rate ranked first in the city, demonstrating solid progress in high-quality development. And the island is a crucial link connecting the central city in the south and the new district in the north. It is the geometric center and an essential fulcrum for future development in the era of embracing the Yangtze River in Nanjing. Jianye district will make every effort to help create five distinctive landmarks on SNEI: the "ecological island," the "smart Island," the "financial island," the "cultural tourism island," and the "future island."

"The island is the first choice for Singaporean companies to invest in China," Zhou Cheng, Executive Director of Singapore Nanjing Eco Hi-Tech Island Development Co., Ltd, extended an invitation to the guests present, hoping that more Singaporean companies and outstanding talents can settle and make their homes on SNEI. He stated that as a flagship cooperation project of the Singapore - Jiangsu Cooperation Council and Singapore-Nanjing Special Project Cooperation Panel, the island has become an essential platform for embodying international concepts, carrying out the cooperation between Nanjing and Singapore, and promoting exchanges and interactions.

In November 2008, the Ministry of Trade and Industry of Singapore signed a framework cooperation agreement with Nanjing Municipal Government, officially kicking off the construction of SNEI. Over the past years of development, the spatial framework for urban construction and industrial development on the entire island has been fully deployed. Based on ecological environment and driven by technological innovation, it aims to create a new model of integration of industry and city and collaboration between China and Singapore.

In recent years, with the continuous improvement of infrastructure and the accelerated development of industries, various institutions and enterprises have continuously settled on SNEI. Currently, 19 industrial projects landed on the whole island, including Huatai Securities and Jiangsu Environmental Protection Group, with seven projects already completed and nine projects under construction. In the future, the island will be developed into an international industrial park that gathers scientific research, innovation, smart technology, and high-end headquarters. It will be an international development platform that effectively connects top talents, high-tech projects, and international capital.

During the conference, Shengke Group, Cushman & Wakefield and ATC Projects signed memorandums of cooperation with SNEI for strategic projects. In the future, there will be more collaborations in areas such as international industrial resource introduction, smart scene application, and overseas enterprise incubation.

Dennis Yeo, head of Investor Services and Logistics & Industrial, Asia Pacific at Cushman & Wakefield, spoke as an enterprise representative during the conference. He expressed that Jianye district has high-quality urban facilities, a solid industrial foundation, open application scenarios, and a sincere willingness to serve Singaporean enterprises. This has further strengthened the confidence of enterprises in choosing Jianye district and deepening their presence on SNEI. As a globally renowned real estate service and consulting company, Cushman & Wakefield will continue introducing more international projects that align with the industrial ecosystem of the island and further promote enterprise settlements and the transformation of innovative achievements.

Openness is the central theme of the current development of SNEI. With the continuous improvement of cooperation mechanisms and the orderly construction of cooperation platforms, more and more companies, technologies, and talents will be injected into this thriving land in the future. SNEI will also fully take its innovation and international advantages to become a "pioneer" and "communicator" for friendly cooperation between China and Singapore.