Singapore and Chinese technology companies at the Smart China Expo in Chongqing yesterday inked 13 memorandums of understanding (MOUs), ranging from an augmented reality education system for pre-schools, to developing analytic solutions for smart manufacturing markets, and research collaboration on artificial intelligence.
“Chongqing and the western region of China are important markets for Singapore-based technology enterprises,” said Tan Kiat How, chief executive of Singapore’s Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA).
“We are also seeing more Chinese enterprises expanding into South East Asia and they are looking for like-minded business partners for the region. The annual Smart China Expo is an important platform for our companies to showcase their products and services, and explore partnership opportunities with Chinese enterprises,” he added.
Singapore’s telecommunications companies, Singtel and StarHub also signed respective MOUs with the three leading communications service providers in China – China Mobile, China Unicom and China Telecom.
IMDA said the MOUs will pave the way for improving data connectivity between the two cities, and position both Singapore and Chongqing as strategic hubs for enterprises to expand into the Asia Pacific region and western China respectively. “Singtel will also provide its capabilities in cloud, Internet-of-Things (IoT) and smart city solutions to help enterprises accelerate their digitalisation,” the IMDA said in a statement.
Bolstering Sino-Singapore cooperation
The RMB40-million fund was also launched to help joint partnership between Chinese and Singapore companies to develop and implement innovative technologies such as artificial intelligence, IoT, virtual and augmented reality, robotics and blockchain.
The IMDA and the Chongqing municipal government also hosted the inaugural “Future of Services” conference, which explores the important role that services will play in the future economy.
“In a future economy, where services sectors play such an important role, we believe Singapore’s efforts in creating a trusted and vibrant B2B ecosystem, coupled with our extensive business networks in the Asia-Pacific region, will place us in a good position to partner Chongqing and China,” said Josephine Teo, Singapore’s Manpower Minister, at the conference
Meanwhile, close to 70 companies took part in this year’s Smart China Expo, an increase of more 50% from the preview year. They include first-timers Singapore Telecommunications Ltd (Singtel) and SkyLab, as well as returning participants such as ST Engineering Electronics, veriTAG, Handshakes and Fooyo.
The 3.200-sqm Singapore Digital pavilion occupied 3,000 square metres features 32 Singapore companies, demonstrating solutions in fintech, urban solutions, artificial intelligence, data analytics, transport and logistics.
