Singaporean ambassador advocates joint efforts to forge new Singapore-China trade paths with Guangxi

Peter Tan Hai Chuan, Singaporean ambassador to China, takes the interview. (Photo courtesy of the Department of Commerce of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region)

There is strong economic and trade cooperation between Singapore and China. Since 2013, China has been Singapore's largest trading partner for 12 years in a row, while bilateral trade reached $111.11 billion in 2024.

For the past decade, the China-Singapore (Chongqing) Connectivity Initiative-New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor (CCI-ILSTC) has shown to be an efficient and viable trade route connecting Southeast Asia with Western China and beyond.

"Container volume has grown nearly tenfold since 2019, a clear indicator of the CCI-ILSTC's relevance and resilience. This would not have been possible without our close cooperation with Guangxi," said Peter Tan Hai Chuan, Singaporean ambassador to China.

According to Tan, as a transhipment hub, Singapore also facilitates the flow of goods between other countries and China. Qinzhou Port in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region is an important node on the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor, also serving as a gateway for Southeast Asian goods transshipped through Singapore into the Chinese market. In light of this, on Dec. 19, Guangxi hosted the "Shopping in China (Guangxi) event & 2026 Guangxi Silk Road E-Commerce Carnival."

"The Singapore Embassy is very pleased to support this year's event. The value of such events goes beyond facilitating trade and investment. They also help to build bridges and strengthen people-to-people ties between Guangxi and ASEAN countries," said Tan.

"The ASEAN-China Free Trade Area 3.0 upgrade demonstrates ASEAN's and China's commitment to free trade and multilateralism. It is also a timely upgrade that will bring about tangible benefits for businesses in both ASEAN and China," further noted Tan.

According to the Singaporean ambassador, the upgrade will ease transactions for businesses, reduce compliance costs, and give businesses greater confidence when operating across borders, particularly for the small and medium enterprises across ASEAN and Chinese markets.

Tan also pointed out that the introduction of the new Chapters on Supply Chain Connectivity, Digital Economy, and Green Economy will help businesses and people leverage new opportunities in these growth areas, ensure the resilience of businesses and provide more certainty for consumers during supply chain disruptions, as well as safeguard consumers from unfair business practices.

"We hope to work together with Guangxi to further enhance connectivity, improve logistics and unlock new avenues for trade and investment between our regions," said the ambassador.