Planting ceremony marks 20th anniversary of China-Singapore venture

SINGAPORE - Suzhou became the first Chinese city to plant its city flower in Singapore's Gardens by the Bay on Sunday, as Singapore and China marked the 20th anniversary of the China-Singapore Suzhou Industrial Park this year .

The Mayor of Suzhou's municipal government, Mr Zhou Naixiang, officiated the planting ceremony of five Osmanthus fragrans saplings at the Mediterranean Garden in the Flower Dome, the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) said in a press release.

"Singapore and Suzhou have forged a strong friendship through twenty years of close collaboration and interaction at all levels," said Mr Lee Ark Boon, MTI's deputy secretary of trade, at the ceremony.

"Today's planting ceremony reflects how the city life of Singapore and Suzhou has been enhanced by the sharing of our development experience. We will continue to build on this strong foundation of friendship and cooperation."

The 288 sq km Suzhou Industrial Park has become one of China's most competitive industrial parks since its establishment. It houses more than 5,000 enterprises, of which 150 are Fortune 500 companies, the MTI said.

The park has also been successfully replicated in other parts of China, including Nantong in Jiangsu and Chuzhou in Anhui.

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