Chongqing - Chongqing residents looking for something new this National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival holiday need not travel far. Singapore has come to their doorstep.
The 2025 Experience Singapore Week opened on September 29 in Chongqing Jiangbei's bustling Guanyinqiao commercial district, running through October 2. Over four days, visitors can sample the Lion City's culture, cuisine, and lifestyle through four themed zones – a brand exhibition, food market, cultural and travel showcase, and entertainment performances.
The 2025 Experience Singapore Week opened on September 29 in Chongqing Jiangbei's bustling Guanyinqiao commercial district, running through October 2. (Photo/Chen Zhan)
The Singapore brand exhibition features 14 household names ranging from homeware and healthcare to fashion and lifestyle, with companies such as Singapore Airlines and CapitaLand drawing strong interest.
But it is the food market that has quickly become the star attraction. With 12 stalls recreating the atmosphere of Singapore's hawker centres, signature dishes like Hainanese chicken rice and laksa are drawing long queues.
Ya Kun Kaya Toast, a heritage café chain from Singapore, has been among the most popular. "We've sold nearly 2,000 toasts today," said Li Xiang, the brand's agent. "Visitors in Chongqing really enjoy Singaporean flavours."
The celebration coincides with two milestones in bilateral relations — the 35th anniversary of diplomatic ties between China and Singapore and the 10th anniversary of the China-Singapore (Chongqing) Demonstration Initiative on Strategic Connectivity (CCI). The initiative, launched in 2015, has become a key platform for cooperation in financial services, aviation, transportation logistics, and information and communication.
Tan Kiat How, Singapore's Senior Minister of State for the Ministry of Digital Development and Information & Ministry of Health, said that over the past decade, both sides have built a strong and solid platform for cooperation.
"This partnership extends beyond government-level exchanges, strengthening business connections and deepening people-to-people ties," he added. Now, Singapore has become Chongqing's largest source of foreign investment, with total investment doubling over the past decade.
Tan Kiat How, Singapore's Senior Minister of State for the Ministry of Digital Development and Information & Ministry of Health, delivered a speech at the 2025 Experience Singapore Week. (Photo/Chen Zhan)
Looking ahead, Tan said Singapore would work with Chongqing to expand collaboration in new areas such as the digital and green economies.
"We aim to attract more Singaporean and Southeast Asian enterprises to explore opportunities in Chongqing and western China," he added. "We will also help companies from Chongqing and western China expand to Singapore, Southeast Asia, and beyond."