Speech By Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry Gan Kim Yong at the Nongsa-Changi Submarine Cable Landing Ceremony

Introduction

1. Good morning to all of you. It is indeed a great pleasure to join you today for this very important event.

2. The Nongsa–Changi Cable is a testament to our deepening bilateral partnership.

3. In fact earlier this month, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and President Prabowo met in Jakarta for the Singapore-Indonesia Leaders’ Retreat.

   1. They reaffirmed our commitment to expand bilateral cooperation, and welcomed our efforts to develop Batam, Bintan and Karimun, or BBK, into a vibrant digital hub.

4. In a more uncertain global environment, it is even more important for Singapore and Indonesia to continue strengthening our partnership.

   1. We are working together to facilitate investment, strengthen supply-chain resilience, and develop new areas of growth and expansion.

   2. We have also agreed to undertake a joint study to identify opportunities and develop concrete recommendations for BBK’s growing technology sector.

5. As our economies become increasingly digital, digital infrastructure has now become an important foundation to support economic growth.

6. Businesses developing AI applications, operating cloud services or running advanced manufacturing facilities all depend on the ability to move data securely, reliably and with minimal delay.

7. That is why projects like the Nongsa-Changi Cable matter.

   1. The cable will provide more than 1.6 petabits per second of additional capacity, and connect between Batam and Singapore with a latency of under two milliseconds.

   2. It will support the growth of data centres and digital services in Batam, and help businesses operate across borders.

8. This, in turn, will bring more opportunities for Singapore and Indonesia, and ASEAN as well, especially with the signing of the ASEAN Digital Economic Framework Agreement later this year.

9. Our strengths between Batam and Singapore, between Indonesia and Singapore, are complementary.

   1. Singapore brings global connectivity, a trusted business environment, and links to companies and customers around the world.

   2. Indonesia brings scale, talent, land for future growth, and significant potential in renewable energy.

10. BBK’s proximity to Singapore allows companies to draw on strengths from both countries.

    1. They can build teams and operations across Singapore and Batam, while serving customers throughout Southeast Asia and beyond.

    2. This is why Nongsa Digital Park’s role as a digital bridge between our countries is so relevant.

11. This partnership can also open up opportunities for companies from both countries to collaborate, and for our people to acquire new skills and experience.

12. Ultimately, economic cooperation brings value through the capabilities we build, the businesses we grow, and the opportunities we create for our people.

    1. Singapore and Indonesia will work together to identify practical areas for further cooperation.

13. Lastly, I like to congratulate BW Digital, Telin and all the partners who made the cable project possible.

14. Let us continue to deepen our partnership – combine our respective strengths, develop the wider digital ecosystem, and create new opportunities for businesses and people in both our countries.

15. Thank you.