Speech by MOS Alvin Tan at the Launch of the NCS Next Shenzhen Innovation Centre

Consul-General in Guangzhou, Mr Loh Tuck Keat,

Group CEO of SingTel, Mr Yuen Kuan Moon,

CEO of NCS, Mr Ng Kuo Pin,

Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen,

A very good morning to all of you. To those who are attending this ceremony on-site in Shenzhen –  

早安！ 大家好！非常荣幸能够和大家在不同地点聚集在一起，参加今天的开幕仪式.我也想借这个机会提早祝大家新年快乐、大吉大利。

I am delighted to join you for the launch of the NCS NEXT Shenzhen Innovation Centre today.

Acceleration of Digitalisation and Innovation

Against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic, digital transformation efforts in Singapore have accelerated at an unprecedented pace. Both government agencies and companies have embraced technology and innovated swiftly to cope with disruptions and challenges brought by the pandemic. This strong impetus for organisations to digitalise and innovate to adjust to the new normal has presented all of our partners and players in the digital sector with new opportunities to support these transformation efforts. Coming from the digital sector myself, I am particularly heartened, and also excited by the opportunities for collaboration between different stakeholders – government, as well as the private sector.

NCS’s transformation efforts

NCS, as one of our local digital champions, has been a key IT solutions provider in sectors such as healthcare, transport, communication and education over the last four decades. Even before the pandemic, NCS had already been working on efforts to diversify into the next generation of solutions, technologies and capabilities in the Digital, Cloud, Platform and Cybersecurity space. Collaboratively, these efforts will help NCS become a competitive value creator, and serve market demands for digital products and solutions which have accelerated due to COVID-19. In order to grow its Asia-Pacific presence, NCS has also been working on building cross-border innovation ecosystems and new partnerships in regional markets, such as in China and Australia.

NCS NEXT Shenzhen Innovation Centre

Today, I am glad to be given this special privilege to witness the launch of the NCS NEXT Shenzhen Innovation Centre. As you have heard from previous speakers, this is NCS’s first innovation centre in Chinaand it will allow NCS to co-develop meaningful digital solutions with their eco-system partners and clients in Shenzhen and Singapore. The Centre holds great promise as a hub for innovation and talent exchange between Singapore and Shenzhen, as well as a connector to help Singapore companies deepen their presence in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, and for Shenzhen enterprises to expand overseas to Singapore and the broader Southeast Asia region.

Opportunities for greater cooperation

As Shenzhen grows into a global innovation powerhouse, there will be greater collaboration opportunities between Singapore and Shenzhen. For instance, both sides have seized opportunities in the digital economy through the Singapore-China (Shenzhen) Smart City Initiative (SCI), which was launched at the 15^th Joint Council for Bilateral Cooperation (JCBC) in 2019. Through the SCI, both sides are advancing digital connectivity and building stronger linkages between our technology and business ecosystems. This will enable our enterprises and citizens to benefit from growth opportunities in Southeast Asia and the Greater Bay Area. Today’s launch of the NCS Shenzhen Innovation Centre is yet another positive development that complements our collaboration under the SCI and fosters new partnerships between Singapore and China in the digital and innovation space.

Conclusion

While the past year has been very challenging for all of us, today’s event demonstrates our industry’s dynamism and drive to buck the trend and to seize opportunities brought about by digital connectivity, talent exchanges and business links between both our cities. Collaborations like this speak to the strong ties and multi-faceted cooperation between Singapore and China, and I cannot be prouder to play a part with colleagues and partners here today.

In conclusion, I would like to end the speech with a few words in Chinese -  
潮 起 大 湾 区，扬 帆 正 其 时。我 期 待 NCS 深 圳 创 新 中 心 的 成 立 在 不 久 的 将 来 能 够 为 新 加 坡 与 深 圳 两 地 在 科 技 创 新，科 技 人 才 以 及 企 业 的 交 流 与 合 作 带 来 更 多 的 机 遇。在 此 为 NCS 深 圳 创 新 中 心 的 启 动 表 示 祝 贺，祝大家新年快乐，大吉大利。谢谢!