ASEAN and China must continue to strengthen collaborations: Chee Hong Tat
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National Development Minister Chee Hong Tat (fifth from left) and Malaysia’s Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming (sixth from left) with the roundtable attendees.
PHOTO: CHEE HONG TAT/FACEBOOK
- ASEAN and China must strengthen collaboration to build liveable, resilient, and sustainable cities, as demonstrated by the Sino-Singapore Tianjin Eco-City project.
- Singapore and Malaysia share goals to improve urban liveability and discussed cooperation in housing, landscaping, construction technology, and urban planning.
- International platforms like the World Cities Summit help cities learn from each other; Singapore aims to continue close work with China and ASEAN for future-ready cities.
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SINGAPORE – ASEAN and China must continue to strengthen collaborations in areas of mutual interest, said National Development Minister Chee Hong Tat on Aug 1, noting that Singapore and China cooperation has shown how countries can co-create solutions.
He made these comments at the 4th ASEAN-China Ministerial Roundtable on Construction and Housing in Ipoh, Malaysia.
Attendees at the roundtable discussed ideas on how the design of towns, buildings and homes can shape liveable, resilient and sustainable cities, said Chee in a Facebook post.
During the roundtable, Chee spoke about the importance of international cooperation to build cities that are future-ready and provide a good living environment for residents.
“For our cooperation with China, the Sino-Singapore Tianjin Eco-City has shown how countries can go beyond exchanging ideas to co-creating solutions that benefit our companies and citizens,” he said.
At the regional level, Chee said ASEAN and China must continue to strengthen collaborations in areas of mutual interest, he added.
And at the global level, platforms such as the World Cities Summit, which gathers city leaders from across the world, provide useful opportunities to learn from one another, he said.
Chee met Malaysia’s Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming, co-convenor of the roundtable, on the sidelines of the meeting.
Chee said Singapore and Malaysia share the common goal of enhancing the liveability of their cities.
“I had a good conversation with Minister Nga about deepening mutual learning in areas such as housing, landscaping, construction technology as well as urban planning and renewal,” he said.
He said he also had a “good discussion” with China’s Minister of Housing and Urban-Rural Development Ni Hong – who is also co-convenor of the roundtable – where both exchanged views on ways to deepen and broaden the two countries’ bilateral cooperation, including for Tianjin Eco-City.
“I look forward to seeing Minister Ni again in September, to attend the Green Development Forum which will be held in Xiongan,” he said.
He added that Singapore will continue to work closely with China, fellow ASEAN member states and other international counterparts, to build cities that both the current and future generations will be proud to call home.
Chee is on a four-day work trip to Malaysia that ends on Aug 2. On July 30, he met Malaysia’s Economy Minister Akmal Nasir, and Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Federal Territories) Hannah Yeoh in Kuala Lumpur.
He and Akmal discussed the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone, including ways to encourage more investments, as well as strengthening transport connectivity between Johor and Singapore.
With Yeoh, Chee exchanged views on repurposing and rejuvenating iconic buildings to create civic and cultural spaces, and also shared about Singapore’s efforts to support its ageing population.
