Speech by SMS Sim Ann at the China-Singapore Tianjin Eco-City Economic Forum
Jun 29, 2022
尊敬的连茂君书记
Your Excellency, Party Secretary of the Tianjin Binhai New Area, Mr Lian Maojun
中新天津生态城投资开发有限公司总裁张永昌先生
CEO, Sino-Singapore Tianjin Eco-City Investment and Development Co., Ltd，Mr Teo Eng Cheong
女士们先生们
Ladies and Gentlemen,
我很高兴今天能在线上出席由生态城合资公司举办的首届中新天津生态城经济论坛。
I am delighted to be joining in virtually today, for the inaugural China-Singapore Tianjin Eco-City Economic Forum, organised by the joint venture company, Sino-Singapore Tianjin Eco-City Investment and Development Co., Ltd.
中新天津生态城
新中两国关系源远流长，各层面的交往频繁。 在这坚实的基础上，我们启动了天津生态城项目，共同建设一座资源节约型、环境友好型、社会和谐型的生态城，并作为其他城市可持续发展能复制、可推广的样板。
Singapore and China have enjoyed a longstanding and multifaceted relationship with frequent exchanges. Building on this strong foundation, we embarked on the development of the Tianjin Eco-City to be a resource efficient, environmentally friendly and harmonious Eco-City, and that would serve as a replicable model for sustainable development for other cities.
如今，生态城也已取得良好的进展。从当年的盐碱荒地，华丽变身，成为一座欣欣向荣的生态城。她的发展经验更是被成功复制到雄安新区白洋淀、湖南省株洲市清水塘、浙江省玉环市等地。
Today, the Eco-City has made significant progress. It has successfully transformed from barren land to a thriving eco-city. Its experience has been successfully replicated in Xiong’An New Area’s Baiyangdian, Hunan Province Zhuzhou City’s Qingshuitang and Zhejiang Province’s Yuhuan City.
展望未来，气候变化和可持续发展仍然会是我们全人类共同对抗的挑战，而且日益严峻。 世界各国必须集思广益，共同探讨新方案，在可持续发展的前提下提升人类的生活质量。
Moving forward, climate change and sustainable development will continue to be a common challenge for all of us, and it will be a growing challenge. This global challenge calls for the collective wisdom of all countries to jointly create new solutions to improve our quality of life while ensuring sustainable development.
接下来，请允许我以英语继续发言。
Please allow me to continue my speech in English.
Jointly pushing the boundaries of sustainability solutions
Climate change is a global challenge that needs to be overcome. China and Singapore each have our part to play. China has made plans to achieve carbon neutrality by 2060. In Singapore, we announced in February 2022 that we will raise our climate ambition to achieve net zero emissions by or around mid-century. Last year, we also launched the Singapore Green Plan 2030, which aims to catalyse a nationwide sustainability movement that covers many aspects. There is also opportunity for our two countries to work together.
The earlier generation of leaders started the Eco-city project 14 years ago as a far-sighted move and it is more salient than ever. The Tianjin Eco-City will continue to be a meaningful laboratory where both sides can co-create and test-bed new green and low-carbon solutions. This will require new knowledge, new ideas, and new technology, and in turn, this will contribute to new economic opportunities for both countries. I strongly encourage our organisations and enterprises to explore opportunities in the Eco-City, and jointly, work towards our sustainability goals.
On this note, I am glad that the Singapore University of Technology and Design, or SUTD in short, as well as Singapore start-up MooVita will be signing MOUs today to explore collaborations and partnerships to further their R&D and innovation in the Eco-City.
Our Institutes of Higher Learning and enterprises are important contributors to our climate action goals through their R&D, innovation, and talent development.
Under the MOU, SUTD will be exploring people-to-people exchanges, training opportunities for talent development in the Eco-City and joint research and innovation projects to develop and apply smart technologies for sustainable development in the Eco-City. MooVita will also be looking to further develop its autonomous vehicle fleet and solutions to provide convenient, comfortable and sustainable ways of commuting in the Eco-City.
I look forward to these collaborations taking off. Let me wish today’s forum success and for everyone to have fruitful discussions.
Thank you.