TIANJIN (China) — Singapore and China are looking to mutually extend visa-free travel between both countries to 30 days, in an effort to enhance relations between their peoples.

This move was among 24 agreements announced on Thursday (Dec 7) at the 19th Joint Council for Bilateral Cooperation (JCBC) in Tianjin, China. The annual JCBC forum is the highest platform for both countries to review areas for bilateral cooperation.

Other agreements announced during the forum include an upgrade of a free-trade agreement between the two countries, enhancing student exchanges as well as a pilot for the use of a digital yuan.

The JCBC this year was co-chaired for the first time by Singapore's Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and China's Vice-Premier Ding Xuexiang, with the 24 agreements unveiled being more than the 19 inked at last year’s forum held in Singapore.

WHY IT MATTERS

The JCBC reviews existing cooperation between Singapore and China and sets the direction for cooperation between the two countries.

This year’s forum came after Singapore and China made steps to enhance their bilateral relationship earlier this year.

Mr Wong is visiting China and co-chairing the council not long after the timeline was announced last month for when he is expected to take over leadership from Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.

In a statement on Thursday, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) of Singapore said that both countries are committed to continue using the JCBC as a platform to review and chart the strategic direction for bilateral cooperation.

The two leaders welcomed the increase in high-level exchanges and broadening of areas of cooperation. 

TODAY takes a look at some of the agreements announced at the forum, where both sides also reviewed the progress of bilateral cooperation in a wide range of areas.

30-DAY VISA-FREE TRAVEL

Since late July, China has resumed the 15-day visa-free facility for Singaporeans travelling to China on ordinary passports for business, tourism, family visit and transit purposes. 

The arrangement was suspended for more than three years due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

China's citizens have to apply for a visa to enter Singapore for now.

On Thursday, Mr Wong said that Singapore and China are looking to strengthen cooperation in various sectors.

“Underpinning all of these cooperation projects are the very important people-to-people exchanges,” he added.

Mr Wong, who is also Finance Minister, noted that flight connectivity between the two countries has improved, approaching levels seen before the pandemic, and that both countries are hoping to surpass that.

This will be supported by the mutual 30-day visa-free arrangement.

“(This) will enable more people-to-people exchanges, thereby fortifying the bedrock of our bilateral relations,” he added.

Speaking in Mandarin, Mr Ding noted that people-to-people and cultural exchanges between the two countries have “become more vibrant”.

“The number of Chinese students studying in Singapore exceeded 40,000, basically recovering to the pre-pandemic level,” he said.

Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that both sides are working out the operational details, with the aim of rolling out the arrangement early next year.

FREE-TRADE AGREEMENT

The China-Singapore Free Trade Agreement, which came into force in 2009 and upgraded in 2019, is China’s first comprehensive bilateral free-trade agreement with an Asian country, Singapore's Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) said.

Under a "further upgrade protocol", Singapore will secure greater market access to China’s services sector. 

China commits to not limiting foreign equity limits for Singapore investors in 22 sectors, which include construction, retailing and wholesale, as well as architectural and urban planning services, MTI said.

“Singapore investors and service suppliers will also enjoy more liberal and transparent rules that level the playing field for them to invest in and trade with China,” it added.

In 2021, China was Singapore’s fourth largest trading partner in services, while Singapore was China’s third largest.

STUDENT AND RESEARCHER EXCHANGES 

Singapore and China are also enhancing exchange programmes for students and researchers.

One memorandum of understanding (MOU) is between Singapore’s National Research Foundation and China’s Ministry of Science and Technology, where both sides agreed to support people-to-people exchange activities in science and technology. These include attachments and study visits to research units.

In another MOU, the education ministries of both countries also agreed to strengthen collaborations across various levels, including mutual visits and exchange of scholars, interns and students.

DIGITAL YUAN

Three digital finance and capital market initiatives were announced at the JCBC forum, the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) said on Thursday.

These include a pilot for cross-border usage of a digital yuan or e-CNY, which will allow travellers from both countries to use the digital currency for tourism spending in Singapore and China.

“This will enhance convenience for travellers when making purchases during their overseas travel,” Singapore’s central bank said.

Separately, it said on Thursday that Singapore banks and China’s financial services provider UnionPay International are having early-stage discussions on a "potential remittance linkage" between the UnionPay mobile application and PayNow, the e-payment system developed by the Association of Banks in Singapore.

“Such a linkage could facilitate secure, convenient and cost-effective cross-border payments and remittances between the two countries,” MAS added.

COASTAL PROTECTION, FOOD SECURITY

Singapore's Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment (MSE) and China's Ministry of Water Resources enhanced their MOU on water cooperation.

First signed in 2010, the agreement included areas of cooperation such as water resource management, rainwater harvesting, flood prevention and disaster mitigation.

The additions this year will cover new areas of interest including coastal protection.

MSE also signed an MOU on agriculture and food security cooperation with China’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs.

This will see both sides enhancing cooperation in research and development on vertical farming and climate resilient agriculture, as well as in food security and food supply, among others.

Other agreements covered cooperation in areas such as climate-friendly and liveable cities, energy and health.

TIANJIN ECO-CITY'S ANNIVERSARY

This year’s forum coincided with the 15th anniversary of the Tianjin Eco-City, one of the flagship projects between the two governments under the JCBC. 

Both countries unveiled “a new project collaboration framework” with 15 cooperation initiatives aimed at deepening partnership across the public sector, businesses and academia within the eco-city.

Among them is a research and innovation centre to be set up in part by the Singapore University of Technology and Design, the first Singapore institute of higher learning to do so in the eco-city.

Singapore's Ministry of National Development said in a statement: “Under this centre, researchers, entrepreneurs and students from both countries can  participate in joint research and development projects, enterprise development, education and training, and talent exchanges on low-carbon innovation.” 

Mr Wong and Mr Ding then unveiled an orchid named after the anniversary — Papilionanda Tianjin Eco-City 15th Anniversary — to mark the milestone and officiate the ground-breaking ceremony of a green innovation park there.