On 11 March 2026, a delegation led by Mr. Adrian Ng, Director-General of Asia, Middle East and Africa at Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI), Singapore, visited SASS. Professor Gan Chunhui, Executive Vice President of SASS, met with the delegation and exchanged views on China’s 15th Five-Year Plan, economic developments in China and Singapore, and China-US economic and trade relations.
Professor Gan extended a warm welcome to Mr. Ng and his delegation, and briefed them on SASS’s recent developments. He noted that the Recommendations of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China for Formulating the 15th Five-Year Plan for National Economic and Social Development (hereinafter “the Recommendations”), adopted at the Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee, set out the development goals, strategic priorities, and overall blueprint for China’s economic and social development over the next five years, serving as a guiding framework for national development. He highlighted key objectives outlined in the Recommendations – including achieving substantive progress in high-quality development, making new breakthroughs in further deepening reform, and significantly enhancing self-reliance and strength in science and technology – as well as major initiatives such as fostering and expanding emerging and future industries. These priorities, he noted, will play a crucial role in shaping China’s development in the coming years. Professor Gan further observed that the international order is undergoing profound changes, and that responding to shifts in the geopolitical landscape, balancing development and security, and sustaining economic growth are shared challenges facing all countries. SASS will continue to deepen research in these areas and stand ready to strengthen exchanges and cooperation with Singaporean government agencies, universities and think tanks, contributing to the economic and social development of both countries and to the advancement of bilateral relations.
Mr. Ng stated that, as a strong advocate of multilateral trade, Singapore actively participates in regional and multilateral agreements such as the CPTPP and RCEP, and has joined the Digital Economy Partnership Agreement with Chile, New Zealand and the Republic of Korea to advance digital trade rules and cooperation. He also highlighted the launch of the Future of Investment and Trade (FIT) Partnership, aimed at supporting open and fair trade. On bilateral cooperation, he noted that the Suzhou Industrial Park stands as a flagship project of China-Singapore collaboration. Over the past three decades, it has served as a platform for deepening openness and driving innovation. He expressed the MTI’s willingness to strengthen exchanges with SASS to further advance economic cooperation between the two countries.
Both sides also discussed the global political and economic landscape and ASEAN economic cooperation.
