□Written by Zeng Rui

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The 3rdChina-Singapore Intergovernmental Cooperative Program Enters Substantive Startup Phase

□Written by Zeng Rui

The 1stJoint Implementation Committee Meeting of the“China-Singapore (Chongqing) Demonstration Initiative on Strategic Connectivity” (hereinafter referred as the CSDISC) was held in Chongqing on January 8thin order to put into practice a series of agreements on the Initiative signed between China and Singapore. The meeting briefed the members list of the Joint Implementation Committee, the work plan within this year as well as the early results of recent work, major strategic programs and initiative approaches, and deliberated the guiding principles on the program evaluation and work procedure within the frame work of the Initiative. Both sides reached broad consensus on the issues related to program construction.

A Far-reaching Meeting

Bearing common witness of President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, the “Framework Agreement on the China-Singapore (Chongqing) Demonstration Initiative on Strategic Connectivity” was signed between the two governments in Singapore on November 7thof 2015. According to the Framework Agreement, the two sides established a tripartite cooperation mechanism including Joint Coordinating Council, Joint W ork Committee and Joint Implementation Committee in an attempt to direct joint ef forts into the implementation of the CSDISC.

The Joint Implementation Committee is co-chaired by ChanChun Sing, who is currently Minister in Prime Minister’s Offi ce and Secretary-General of Singapore, and Huang Qifan, Mayor of Chongqing Municipal People’s Government. Besides, it has two executive chairmen, one of them being Lee Ark Boon, who serves as Deputy Secretary of Ministry of Trade and Industry in Singapore; and the other being vice mayor of Chongqing Municipal People’s Government, Chen Luping. It also includes senior government officials and enterprise senior executives from Singapore as well as members and offi cials holding aspects in related departments of both China’s Central Government and Chongqing Municipal Government.

Presided by Mayor Huang Qifan, the meeting has received such leaders as Secretary-General Chan Chun Sing from 9 Singaporean government departments, 11 Singaporean enterprises including Changi Airport and Temasek, 19 related offi cials including Vice Minister Gao Yan from China’s Ministry of Commerce and some others from National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), and Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Besides, leaders from Municipal Departments of Chongqing, principals of Chongqing’s enterprises and opening platform also made their appearance on the meeting, including Executive Vice Mayor of Chongqing Wen Jieming, Member of Standing Municipal Committee Ling Yueming and Vice Mayor Chen Luping.

A Fruitful Meeting

It was agreed on the meeting that both China and Singapore had attached great importance to the program, always trying to enhance communication and connection since a series agreements on the CSDISC were signed. And progress was made in respects to improving working mechanism, organizing working institutions, integrating programs, refining innovative approaches, which laid a solid foundation for further implementation of the whole initiative. Attendees arrived at a consensus on the specific programs to be constructed on the meeting. It was stressed that these programs fi rstly should be closely centering on the four major cooperation fi elds including fi nancial service, aviation, transportation logistics and information and communication technology to give full expression to their strategic and demonstrative value; secondly they should be in accordance with the innovative approaches elaborated on the“Supplementary Agreement” signed by the two countries, which consists of 11 agreed-upon innovative approaches and 7 ones seeking further study( hereinafter referred to as “11+7 innovative approaches). Thirdly they should be carried on a basis of classification——they could be instructed and implemented in such classifi cation as platform, mechanism, and channel. Lastly they must demonstrate the theme of connectivity, “Belt and Road Initiative” and their relation to the priorities for development of Chongqing.

Moreover, another consensus has been reached that innovative approaches are the indispensable guarantees for the expected results of the CSDISC and that joint efforts should be made to push forward innovative approaches in favor of the implementation of programs. And all members concerned shall further strengthen the elaboration and implementation of “11+7 Innovative Approaches” and work out new ones based on them as the cooperation and comprehensive deepening reform carry on.

It was clarifi ed on the meeting that adhering to the principles of “mutual benefit and win-win basis, feasible commerce, sustainable development, and replicable patterns”, the Initiative would focus on “modern connectivity and modern service-based economy” and four major collaboration fi elds including fi nancial service, aviation, transportation logistics, and information and communication technology to drive the development of whole western region of China and to complete the “Belt and Road Initiative”, the significant demonstration programs such as the large-scale development in West China and Yangtze Economic Zone as well as those regional ones that Singapore participated in by means of high starting point, high standard, and innovation.

The success of the 1stJoint Implementation Committee Meeting marked the substantive startup phase of the CSDISC. And the resultant bunch of fruit in work mechanism, major programs and innovative approaches that form the basic framework of program construction will provide guarantee for further promotion of the program. Meanwhile, as the meeting further opens the communicative channel for both sides, certain foundation has been laid for the following Joint Coordinating Council Meeting and Joint Work Committee Meeting in this year.

Sun Zhengcai, member of the CCP Central Committee Political Bureau and Secretary of Chongqing Municipal Party Committee, met with the attending guests from home and abroad and attended the inauguration and signing ceremony of the “China-Singapore (Chongqing) Demonstration Initiative on Strategic Connectivity” before the meeting. In line with the Implementation Agreement of CSDISC signed by the Singaporean Ministry of Trade and Industry and Chongqing Municipal Government, Chongqing will establish a “Management Committee of CSDISC” as the agency for coordinating and management work. Beneath it are four special committees concerned with fi nancial service, aviation industry, transportation logistics and information and communication technologies. Meanwhile, an administration for the CSDISC will be set in the CBD Financial Tower at Jiangbeizui as the office for the Management Committee of CSDISC.