Speech by SMS(ND)(CI) Tan Kiat How at the Opening Ceremony of Smart China Expo 2023

尊敬的袁家军书记，

胡衡华市长，

女士们，先生们，朋友们，

大家下午好!

1. 我非常高兴受邀参加今年的中国国际智能产业博览会。今年的智博会别具意义，它是阔别三年多后的首场实体智博会。我谨代表新加坡政府和新加坡人民向与会的各界贵宾致以诚恳的问候。

2. 新加坡和重庆享有亲密的交情。重庆是新加坡与中国第三项政府间合作项目的落地之地。自2015年来，双方关系不断的加深和扩展。今年七月，袁家军书记任内首次出访，第一站就选择到了新加坡。我们也很荣幸有机会接待袁书记。 接下来，请容我用英语继续发言。

3. Singapore is honoured to continue to be a co-organiser of the Smart China Expo, or SCE. This event not only fosters collaboration between Singapore and Chongqing, but also connects us with other partners and regions. I am heartened to see the sustained participation of Singapore companies in the SCE since its inception in 2018. This year, we have companies from sectors such as smart city, logistics, training and many others. Singapore’s Infocomm Media Development Authority and Chongqing Big Data Development Bureau are also co-organising the China-Singapore International Digital Cooperation Forum and a series of matchmaking activities for businesses from both sides. These interactions will offer valuable opportunities for exchanges and partnerships.

4. At the heart of these events is the ambition to innovate together. Singapore’s stature as a leading ICT hub, combined with Chongqing’s growing tech ecosystem, provides many opportunities for knowledge sharing and mutual growth. The Joint Innovation and Development Fund, or JIDF, embodies our mutual commitment to creativity and progress, by providing innovative projects with the necessary support and resources to flourish. One example is from Outlast Technologies and Chongqing University, which are working together on using AI to evaluate and detect faults in Lithium-ion battery modules.  This innovation can improve the efficiency and safety of New Energy Vehicles, or NEVs.

5. Given SCE 2023’s focus on NEVs, I would like to highlight our joint effort in shaping a greener and more sustainable mobility future. For instance, EVCo, a joint venture between Singapore company Strides and Chinese company 地上铁, provides a full suite of e-mobility services, including leasing and maintenance of NEVs, smart charging, and financing. EVCo uses a digital platform to capture various vehicle data, from real-time location to battery conditions. It then makes recommendations with the help of AI, such as on optimal routes that incorporate the NEV’s charging needs or clients’ requirements for multiple destinations. With Chongqing’s strengths in automobile and battery manufacturing, there will be more opportunities for future collaboration to break new ground in the NEVs space.

6. As the SCE embarks on its 6^th run, we continue to see exciting new developments in the digital realm. By leveraging our combined strength and resources, we can harness new technologies to seize opportunities in the digital age, drive sustainable growth, and build a prosperous future for all.

7. 我在这里再次感谢重庆市政府的邀请，也预祝今年的智博会能圆满落幕。也祝大家身体健康、事事顺利。谢谢！