# Singapore and China usher in new chapter of cooperation in Tianjin Eco-City - **Source:** Ministry of National Development - **Published:** 2023-12-07T02:00:00.000Z - **Author:** Ministry of National Development - **Original:** https://www.mnd.gov.sg/newsroom/press-releases/view/singapore-and-china-usher-in-new-chapter-of-cooperation-in-tianjin-eco-city - **Topics:** Government & Policy, Sustainability & PropTech, Regional Markets ## Featured rationale The initiatives could strengthen developer and business confidence in the Eco-City, supporting demand for low-carbon precincts, green infrastructure and associated commercial development. ## AI summary Singapore and China unveiled 15 cooperation initiatives on 7 December 2023 to develop Tianjin Eco-City as an upgraded National Green Development Demonstration Zone. ## Original article Enhanced Project Collaboration Framework At the 15th Sino-Singapore Tianjin Eco-City Joint Steering Council (JSC) Meeting held in the Eco-City on 7 December 2023, Singapore and China unveiled a new project collaboration framework that will strengthen the Eco-City as a pathfinder for climate-friendly cities, and broaden bilateral cooperation to span green growth, low-carbon living, ecological resilience, innovation and talent development, and governance. 15 new cooperation initiatives Under the new framework, both countries have put together 15 cooperation initiatives to deepen partnerships across the public sector, businesses and academia in both countries and covering wide-ranging domains in the coming years. These include two Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) signed between Minister for National Development Desmond Lee and, respectively, China’s Minister of Housing and Urban-Rural Development (MoHURD) Ni Hong and Tianjin Mayor Zhang Gong, at the JSC meeting to enhance bilateral cooperation in a new chapter of the Eco-City project. Upgraded National Green Development Demonstration Zone Both sides will also jointly develop the Eco-City as an upgraded ‘National Green Development Demonstration Zone’ – a zone that can exemplify high-quality low-carbon economic growth and serve as a model for other cities in China and beyond. Minister Desmond Lee said: “This is a special year for our two countries. We upgraded our bilateral relations to an ‘All-Round High-Quality Future-Oriented Partnership’. We also celebrate the Eco-City’s 15th anniversary and the progress achieved in the last 15 years. With the new bilateral collaboration framework and 15 cooperation initiatives between Singapore and China on the Tianjin Eco-City, the Eco-City will be one of the tangible demonstrations of the practical benefits that our upgraded bilateral partnership will bring to our people. Having transformed salt pans, barren land and polluted waterbodies into a highly liveable home in the Eco-City over the last 15 years, the new initiatives lay a good foundation for Singapore and China to promote high-quality green growth in the Eco-City in the next bound of our collaboration. This is important, given the challenges of climate change. This will also allow us to jointly seize new opportunities in the green and digital economy.” Green Business and Job Opportunities To realise this vision, both countries have embarked on new initiatives that strengthen the Eco-City as a vibrant incubator of low-carbon businesses. For instance, Keppel Corporation has launched a ‘Low-Carbon and Smart City Alliance’ with Singapore small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to deploy sustainability-related solutions in the Eco-City and beyond. To date, four SMEs in the Alliance working on nano disinfection coating (Golden Forest), eco-friendly furniture (RenewMaterial), digital visualisation (Kardia World), and marketing (SPACElogic), have already piloted their solutions in the Eco-City. They join other Singapore companies, such as MooVita which is deploying its autonomous vehicle fleet in the Eco-City, to trial new solutions that contribute to the global agenda of climate action. Green and Digital Shipping Corridor Singapore and Tianjin will also establish a new Green and Digital Shipping Corridor (GDSC) - the first such corridor to connect Singapore and China. A vibrant low-carbon port economy in Tianjin, anchored by a smart and green Tianjin Port, can further propel the Eco-City’s development as an engine of green growth. It also opens up new growth opportunities from the decarbonisation of the maritime industry for both sides. The GDSC will offer a valuable test bed to trial digital solutions, alternative fuels and technologies, as well as facilitate manpower development to support the decarbonisation and digitalisation of the shipping industry. PSA International and Tianjin Port Group also intend to cooperate on green and smart port development. Joint Innovation and Talent Exchanges To further encourage the cross-pollination of ideas, researchers and students in both countries can look forward to more opportunities to jointly innovate net-zero solutions in the Eco-City, through new exchange programmes and internships. The Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) is setting up a SUTD Eco-City Research and Innovation Centre, together with the China-Singapore Tianjin Eco-City Administrative Committee (ECAC) and the Sino-Singapore Tianjin Eco-City Investment and Development Co., Ltd (SSTEC). SUTD is the first Singapore institute of higher learning to set up such a Centre in the Eco-City. Under this Centre, researchers, entrepreneurs and students from both countries can participate in joint R&D projects, enterprise development, education and training, and talent exchanges on low-carbon innovation. SUTD has also launched a new undergraduate programme in sustainable built environment. This programme includes university exchanges and internships in Tianjin and the Eco-City. Living Lab for Urban Transformation The Eco-City will continue to provide a useful ‘living lab’ for piloting new solutions for low-carbon and liveable cities. This year, the Eco-City enters a new phase of its urban transformation, with the groundbreaking of the Eco-City’s City Centre, where we will see a Green Innovation Park take shape. Coupled with Keppel’s upcoming development of a carbon-neutral smart precinct in the Eco-City’s Northern District, these offer new possibilities for deploying and scaling innovative solutions in Tianjin and beyond. Riding on their collaboration in the recently completed Sino-Singapore Friendship Garden, National Parks Board and ECAC will next cooperate on R&D on contemplative landscape design and therapeutic gardens. They will use the Friendship Garden as a test bed for solutions that harness nature to improve urban dwellers’ well-being. Deepening Ties Between Officials Singapore and China will also deepen ties between officials through new study visits and training programmes on low-carbon growth. Both countries have kickstarted a new series of reciprocal job attachments on sustainability between Singapore and Tianjin officials. MND and MoHURD also launched a new annual Ministerial-level Leadership Dialogue on creating net-zero and liveable cities. More information on the Eco-City project, as well as the new cooperation scope and 15 initiatives, can be found in Annexes A and B respectively. Issued by : Ministry of National Development Date : 7 December 2023 Annex A: Background Info on TEC Annex B: New cooperation framework Illustration: TEC Enhanced Cooperation Framework 2023 ## Chinese translation > Translation model: grok_cli ### 新加坡与中国开启天津生态城合作新篇章 强化项目合作框架 在2023年12月7日于生态城举行的第15次中新天津生态城联合协调理事会（JSC）会议上，新加坡与中国公布全新项目合作框架，以强化生态城作为气候友好型城市探路者的角色，并将双边合作拓展至绿色增长、低碳生活、生态韧性、创新与人才发展，以及治理等领域。 15项新合作倡议 在新框架下，两国共同拟定15项合作倡议，以在未来数年深化两国公共部门、企业与学术界之间的伙伴关系，并覆盖广泛领域。其中包括国家发展部部长李智陞分别与中国住房和城乡建设部（MoHURD）部长倪虹、天津市市长张工在联合协调理事会会议上签署的两份谅解备忘录（MOU），以加强双边合作，开启生态城项目的新篇章。 升级国家绿色发展示范区 双方还将共同把生态城打造为升级版“国家绿色发展示范区”——一个可体现高质量低碳经济增长、并可为中国及其他地区城市提供示范的区域。 李智陞部长表示：“今年对我们两国而言意义特殊。我们已将双边关系升级为‘全方位高质量的前瞻性伙伴关系’。我们也庆祝生态城成立15周年，以及过去15年所取得的进展。随着新加坡与中国围绕天津生态城的新双边合作框架及15项合作倡议的推出，生态城将成为我们升级后的双边伙伴关系为两国人民带来切实利益的有形体现之一。在过去15年里，生态城已将盐田、荒地和受污染水体转变为高度宜居的家园，新倡议为新加坡与中国在下一阶段合作中推动生态城高质量绿色增长奠定良好基础。鉴于气候变化带来的挑战，这一点尤为重要。这也将使我们共同把握绿色与数字经济中的新机遇。” 绿色商业与就业机会 为实现这一愿景，两国已启动新倡议，强化生态城作为充满活力的低碳企业孵化器的定位。例如，吉宝企业（Keppel Corporation）已与新加坡中小企业（SME）成立“低碳智慧城市联盟”，以在生态城及其他地区部署与可持续发展相关的解决方案。迄今，联盟中四家中小企业——从事纳米消毒涂层的Golden Forest、环保家具的RenewMaterial、数字可视化的Kardia World，以及营销的SPACElogic——已在生态城试点其解决方案。它们与其他新加坡企业一道，例如在生态城部署自动驾驶车队的MooVita，共同试验有助于全球气候行动议程的新方案。 绿色与数字航运走廊 新加坡与天津还将建立全新的绿色与数字航运走廊（GDSC）——这是连接新加坡与中国的首条此类走廊。以智慧绿色的天津港为依托的天津充满活力的低碳港口经济，可进一步推动生态城作为绿色增长引擎的发展。这也为双方打开海事行业脱碳带来的新增长机遇。绿色与数字航运走廊将提供宝贵的试验平台，用于试验数字解决方案、替代燃料与技术，并促进人力发展，以支持航运业的脱碳与数字化。国际港务集团（PSA International）与天津港集团亦有意在绿色智慧港口发展方面开展合作。 联合创新与人才交流 为进一步鼓励思想的交流融合，两国研究人员与学生可通过新的交流计划与实习，期待有更多机会在生态城共同创新净零解决方案。 新加坡科技设计大学（SUTD）正与中新天津生态城管理委员会（ECAC）及中新天津生态城投资开发有限公司（SSTEC）共同设立SUTD生态城研究与创新中心。SUTD是首家在生态城设立此类中心的新加坡高等学府。在该中心下，两国的研究人员、企业家与学生可参与低碳创新领域的联合研发项目、企业发展、教育培训及人才交流。SUTD还推出了可持续建成环境的全新本科课程。该课程包括在天津及生态城的大学交流与实习。 城市转型的“生活实验室” 生态城将继续为试点低碳宜居城市新解决方案提供有用的“生活实验室”。今年，生态城进入城市转型的新阶段，生态城城市中心破土动工，绿色创新园将在此成形。加之吉宝即将在生态城北区开发碳中和智慧片区，这些为在天津及其他地区部署并规模化创新解决方案提供了新可能。 依托近期落成的中新友谊花园的合作，国家公园局与生态城管委会下一步将在沉思性景观设计与疗愈花园的研发方面开展合作。双方将以友谊花园为试验平台，探索利用自然改善城市居民福祉的解决方案。 深化官员之间的联系 新加坡与中国也将通过低碳增长方面的新考察访问与培训计划，深化官员之间的联系。两国已启动新加坡与天津官员之间新的可持续发展对等借调系列安排。国家发展部与住房和城乡建设部也启动了关于打造净零宜居城市的新的年度部长级领导对话。 有关生态城项目、新合作范围及15项倡议的更多信息，可分别参阅附件A与附件B。 发布机构：国家发展部 日期：2023年12月7日 附件A：TEC背景资料 附件B：新合作框架 示意图：TEC强化合作框架2023