China News Service, Chengdu, September 18 (Chen Jingyue and Tong Shan Peng) In the "Belt and Road" International Cooperation Pavilion of the 18th Western China International Expo (hereinafter referred to as the West Expo), most of the audience passing by the Singapore National Pavilion will meet Attracted by the unique aroma of Bak Kut Teh.
"The ribs are dipped in black soy sauce, and the taste will be better." On the 17th, "Promoter Bak Kut Teh" operating director Yan Kun handed a bowl of milky white tea soup and dipping sauce to the waiting audience.
In less than an hour, only one third of the 500 servings of Bak Kut Teh was left.
Singapore National Pavilion at the 18th West Expo.
Chen Jing
Chengdu, located in the inland southwest of China, is a city with an "international style", and many Singaporean catering and lifestyle brands have taken root here.
Yan Kun, who loves Singaporean food, sees the business opportunities of Bak Kut Teh in China. He has cooperated with Singapore’s “Promoter Bak Kut Teh” restaurant with a history of more than 40 years to promote this Singaporean “national delicacy” in China.
"Chengdu, as the capital of food, I believe that not only Chuanchuanxiang, Mala Tang and hot pot, but also delicacies from all over the world can take root in this inclusive city."
A bowl of Bak Kut Teh with a mellow taste and strong fragrance is not only a medium of cultural exchange between Singapore and Sichuan, but also a microcosm of the economic and trade cooperation between the two sides: in Chengdu, Yanlord Land Plaza stands at the busiest street corner in the city center and is the highest-end office building in Chengdu One; CapitaLand Plaza is integrated into the surrounding community, shopping, eating, and watching movies here are part of the daily life of the people; looking for a Singapore restaurant to eat a plate of authentic fried rice noodles, or the greatest satisfaction for Southeast Asian food lovers.
In recent years, the economic and trade exchanges between Sichuan and Singapore have achieved rapid growth.
Statistics show that the annual bilateral import and export volume has increased from US$56.97 million in 1996 to US$1.84 billion in 2020.
At present, Singapore is the second largest source of foreign investment in Sichuan Province. A total of 685 companies have been established in Sichuan. The actual use of foreign capital is US$7.861 billion. Singapore companies such as Temasek and Mapletree have successively invested in Sichuan.
At the same time, Sichuan companies such as New Hope, Haite High-tech, Tongwei and other companies have invested in Singapore and opened up overseas markets.
During the current West Expo, the 22nd meeting of the Singapore-Sichuan Trade and Investment Committee was held in Chengdu a few days ago.
"Since the establishment of the Singapore-Sichuan Trade and Investment Committee 25 years ago, Singapore and Sichuan have become increasingly close in exchanges and cooperation. During the epidemic, the economic and trade investment between the two sides continued to grow, highlighting the resilience and potential of cooperation." Singapore's Minister of Manpower and Second Minister of Trade and Industry Chen Shilong said. All parties in Singapore value and are optimistic about the development opportunities in western China, especially in Sichuan, and hope that the two sides will deepen trade connectivity, tap the potential for cooperation in the green economy and other fields, and promote mutually beneficial cooperation to achieve greater results.
The audience waited to taste Singaporean fried rice noodles.
Chen Jing
As the guest country of honor at this West Expo, Singapore and Sichuan jointly announced the 2021 cooperation project involving food, medical care, cultural and creative, rail transit and other fields at the meeting.
It is observed that the cooperation between the two places is breaking through the scope of existing industries and is moving steadily towards high-end industries.
For example, the "Xinchuan Innovation and Technology Park" jointly created by Sichuan and Singapore is speeding up construction. The park has introduced 36 industrial projects with a total investment of more than 60 billion yuan.
According to reports, the "Xinchuan Innovation and Technology Park" has developed the headquarters economy and successively introduced companies such as the Singapore Innovation Center. At present, it has gathered 45 cooperative enterprises and 12 technological innovation platforms, and has become an important carrier for cooperation between Sichuan and Singapore, ASEAN, and South Asia.
In the future, as the construction of the Chengdu-Chongqing dual-city economic circle accelerates, Sichuan will be more "charming" in the eyes of Singaporean investors.
Talking about the cooperation opportunities brought by the Chengdu-Chongqing “Twin Cities” to Sichuan and Singapore, Singapore’s Ambassador to China Lu Deyao said that Singapore is very concerned about the construction of the Chengdu-Chongqing twin-city economic circle as a Chinese national strategy. Singapore and Chengdu-Chongqing are both Have a good foundation for cooperation. For example, Singapore and Chongqing have in-depth cooperation in aviation, finance, service industry and other fields. The cooperation with Chengdu started early, and it has produced "Xinchuan Innovation and Technology Park" and other fruits. "In the future, I believe in Singapore. It is expected to deepen cooperation and exchanges with Chengdu and Chongqing in the fields of high-tech and higher education." (End)