15 MoUs signed at Singapore-Shanghai Comprehensive Cooperation Council

The fifth meeting of the Shanghai-Singapore Comprehensive Cooperation Council convened in Shanghai this week with the signing of 15 Memorandums of Understanding covering diverse areas such as the Belt and Road Initiative, financial cooperation, technological innovation, digital economy, urban governance and cultural exchanges.

At the meeting, Shanghai Mayor Gong Zheng highlighted the council's achievements over the past five years, emphasizing the importance of high-quality, forward-looking, and comprehensive cooperation.

He said that the SSCCC has facilitated numerous successful projects and expressed his commitment to deepening this collaboration further.

"We aim to leverage the Belt and Road Initiative to cultivate brand projects, create cooperation highlights and achieve higher levels of mutual benefit," Gong said.

He outlined goals to enhance economic and trade cooperation, promote commercial and financial interactions, and deepen exchanges in professional services such as legal frameworks.

Gong also stressed the need to elevate technological innovation and urban governance cooperation. He advocated for joint efforts in major innovation projects, digital economy development, and the exchange of urban planning and green development experiences.

Additionally, he called for strengthened cultural exchanges to enhance the soft power of both cities through cultural and tourism activities, fostering closer people-to-people ties.

Edwin Tong, Singapore's Minister for Culture, Community and Youth, and Second Minister for Law, lauded the SSCCC as a pivotal platform for bilateral business, investment and cultural exchanges.

Despite global uncertainties, he noted the growing economic ties between Singapore and Shanghai, evidenced by increased bilateral trade and investment.

He said the cooperation has expanded beyond traditional sectors to include emerging fields such as digitalization and the green economy.

Tong emphasized that the SSCCC facilitates high-level dialogues and creates new opportunities for collaboration, reflecting the practical spirit and dynamism of both cities.

In their speeches, Shanghai Vice Mayor Hua Yuan and Singapore's Senior Minister of State for Trade and Industry and for Culture, Community and Youth, Low Yen Ling, provided insights into the collaborative achievements and future directions.

At the signing ceremony, Shanghai Ruijin Hospital and Singapore National University Hospital signed an agreement to collaborate extensively in areas such as intelligent medicine, telemedicine, and robot-assisted surgery.

Moreover, they will also cooperate with Singapore's National University Medical Group to establish a Shanghai-Singapore Medical Innovation Center, which will facilitate tangible exchanges through actual operations.

Ning Guang, president of Ruijin Hospital, said they have scheduled a meeting for this year's second half at which to discuss the future cooperation and direction.

"We are actively promoting the establishment of a medical innovation center between Singapore and Shanghai, which will be located at two hospitals on both sides," Ning said.

"We need to further determine our current research directions in this regard, with a focus on artificial intelligence and clinical research. We have some common clinical research projects that are ongoing, and based on these foundations, we may be able to make our plans more in-depth and more concrete."

Ning said this was an era of equal cooperation, unlike when it was just a one-way learning experience.

"In fields like digestive medicine and rehabilitation, we will learn from them. But in the field of robotics and cardiovascular surgery, we are not inferior to them."

Ng Chee Keong, vice president of North-East, Central and Southeast Asia with CrimsonLogic Pte Ltd, a Singapore-based technology company focused on digitalizing and simplifying global trade, said they signed an agreement with two companies under the Shanghai Data Group – Shanghai E&P International and Shanghai Electronic Certification Authority.

"The key focus is to streamline the cross-border trade process, particularly in commodity declaration," Ng said. "We aim to eliminate paper-based documentation by implementing electronic customs clearance and enhancing cooperation with the Customs department. Additionally, we are committed to promoting trade facilitation."