By Xinyi Li, EDITOR

As Lee Hsien Loong, Prime Minister of Singapore, said on April 22, China-Singapore (Chongqing) Demonstration Initiative on Strategic Connectivity (CCI) will play a role in connecting the Silk Road Economic Belt with the New Century Maritime Silk Road (China’s “Belt and Road” Initiative), supporting the development of Southeast Asian countries.

According to Lee Hsien Loong, CCI will connect China’s “Belt and Road” Initiative, supporting the development of Southeast Asian countries

As he said, this project, through the construction of the land-sea two-way channel, would link the regions in West China and Guangxi’s harbor on land. Based on sea transportation, afterward, the destinations can reach regions in Southeast Asia via Singapore. CCI not only plays as the bridge between Chongqing and Singapore but as the connection between the “Belt” and the “Road”. Compared with the departure from the eastern sea of China, this channel will help reduce the transportation cost, as well as the transit time.

He pointed out that besides logistics, the connectivity also covers such aspects as financial service, information technology, and talent exchange. Relying on the platform, both countries can cooperate with each other to serve the development of regions in Southeast Asia, with great significance.

He also said Singapore established an all-around partnership with China in this era. The former is the largest source of foreign investment of the latter, while China, the largest trade partner of Singapore, has numerous projects launched into the markets along the “Belt and Road” with the help of Singapore. As the third intergovernmental strategic cooperation project between Singapore and China following Suzhou Industrial Park and Tianjin Eco-City, CCI is the reflection of the fruitful results both countries have made. This also reveals the tremendous cooperation potential of the two sides in the future. Under the framework of the “Belt and Road” Initiative, Singapore is ready to play a constructive role in financial service, exploration of the third-party market, and personal development.

Source: Xinhuanet