Yuan Jiajun Announcing the Opening

“‘重’‘新’出发·渝新双枢纽双向游”启动仪式。 图/苏思

When the Mountain and River City of Chongqing meets the Garden and Lion City of Singapore, exchanges and interactions are catalyzed across mountains and seas. On the afternoon of July 16, “Chongqing Week in Singapore” opened at the China Cultural Center in Singapore, marking a new chapter of cooperation between the two places in the new era. Yuan Jiajun, Secretary of the CPC Chongqing Municipal Committee, announced the opening of “Chongqing Week in Singapore”.

Addressing the event were Gabriel Lim, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Trade and Industry, Singapore; Sun Haiyan, Ambassador of China to Singapore; and Chen Mingbo, Member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Chongqing Municipal Committee and Executive Vice Mayor of Chongqing. Gracing the event were Guo Yezhou, Vice Minister of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee, and Luo Lin, Member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Chongqing Municipal Committee and Secretary of the Party Working Committee of Chongqing Liangjiang New Area.

At the China Cultural Center in Singapore, people from the business and cultural circles of Chongqing and Singapore gathered together for this grand event and explored the future path of common development. Chongqing artists performed folk songs “The Sun Rises with Joy” and “Tanjong Katong”, with their touching melodies intertwining and showcasing the unique local cultures of the two places.

Yuan Jiajun and others witnessed the launch of “Setting off: Chongqing-Singapore Twin-Hub Two-Way Travel Program”. Yuan Jiajun announced the opening of the “Chongqing Week in Singapore”.

Chen Mingbo said in his speech that Chongqing and Singapore share a long-standing history of cooperation and friendship. Chongqing is fully implementing the guiding principles of the 20th CPC National Congress and the decisions and plans of the CPC Central Committee. Seizing the opportunities of the multiple national strategies such as the Large-Scale Western Development, the Chengdu-Chongqing Twin-Hub Mega-Region, and the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor, Chongqing is building an important growth engine and new powerhouse that drive high-quality development across China and working toward a modern socialist new Chongqing on all fronts. Moving forward, we believe Chongqing and Singapore will have more frequent exchanges, broader cooperation opportunities, and greater potential for collaboration. We are willing to work with Singapore to make this Chongqing Week in Singapore a platform and further advance the CCI with high standards. We will foster innovative and extensive cooperation across a broader spectrum of fields, better play the role of the CCI as an exemplar and role model, and create a new chapter of collaboration between Chongqing and Singapore as well as between Western China and ASEAN.

Gabriel Lim said that the “All-Round High-Quality Future-Oriented Partnership” between China and Singapore is exemplified in the relations with Chongqing. Singapore-Chongqing ties are anchored by the China-Singapore (Chongqing) Demonstration Initiative on Strategic Connectivity, or CCI. The good progress made in the CCI’s four priority areas of cooperation, namely Financial Services, Aviation, Transport & Logistics, and Information & Communications Technology, has enhanced connectivity between Singapore and Chongqing and also between Southeast Asia and Western China.  The CCI has also paved the way for cooperation in other areas, such as agrifood trade, green economy, healthcare, and tourism. Chongqing is a modern metropolis surrounded by lush mountains and lucid waters, with a rich historical and cultural legacy. The culture and tourism showcase of Chongqing Week in Singapore will profile Chongqing’s unique quality and give everyone a taste of what the municipality has to offer. 

Sun Haiyan said that President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong made a joint announcement in Beijing this March to upgrade bilateral relations to an “All-Round High-Quality Future-Oriented Partnership”.  Each of these three defining features of China-Singapore relations contains rich implications and is worth our deliberation and exploration. We need to explore emerging new areas and tap into the new potentials of the traditional fields in a new era. Singapore is a successful example of the city’s development as a metropolis. In contemporary times, Chongqing has fostered a unique urban style, rich landscape, and cultural appeal. “Chongqing Week in Singapore” is a significant initiative to improve Chongqing’s international image and influence and enhance the visibility of this beautiful city. It is hoped that each stunning event will help more people discover the beauty of Chongqing, allowing them to connect with this city on a deeper level, gradually fall in love with all it has to offer, improve Chongqing’s valuable assets, and drive the development of Chongqing and the CCI-ILSTC. 

Before the opening ceremony, Yuan Jiajun and others visited the Chongqing Intangible Cultural Heritage Exhibition for the “Chongqing Week in Singapore”. There were splendid displays of Liangping woodblock New Year paintings, Huangyang wood carving crafts, Youzhou Miao Embroidery, and other intangible cultural heritage items. There was also a dazzling exhibition of intangible cultural heritage creative products such as Dazu rock carvings, wax-dyed products, and Xia inkstones, attracting the attention of residents in Singapore. Yuan Jiajun and the audience toured around and occasionally stopped to talk with intangible cultural heritage inheritors.

After the opening ceremony, Chongqing and Singapore jointly held the Chongqing-Singapore Tourism Promotion Conference. During the event, the erhu solo “Ants”, the folk music trio “Horse Racing”, and the male and female trio “Song of the Yangtze River” were full of Chongqing characteristics. The tourism presentations showcased Chongqing’s abundant tourism resources.

The “Chongqing Week in Singapore” is jointly organized by the Chongqing Municipal People’s Government and the Ministry of Trade and Industry of Singapore. The event will last until July 19, 2023. In addition, there will be a rich agenda of events, including business networking, cultural exchanges, and hands-on and experience activities. A number of forums will be held, including the Chongqing Traditional Medicine Promotion in Singapore, Chongqing-Singapore Business Matchmaking Event & Promotion for Western Chongqing, and Chongqing Time-Honored Food Promotion in Singapore. These events will promote connectivity on a greater scale, improve bilateral cooperation, and contribute to building a new Chongqing.

Attendees also included officials from the Chinese Embassy in Singapore, the Ministry of Trade and Industry of Singapore, the Singapore Tourism Board, and Enterprising Singapore, as well as officials from relevant departments in Chongqing, representatives from relevant enterprises and Chinese-funded institutions in Singapore, members of the Singapore tourism associations, and representatives from related companies.

山水重庆遇见花园狮城，跨越山海的交流互动精彩上演。7月16日下午，“新加坡·重庆周”在新加坡中国文化中心隆重启幕，两地携手书写新时代渝新合作新篇章。重庆市委书记袁家军宣布“新加坡·重庆周”开幕。

新加坡贸工部常任秘书林明亮，中国驻新加坡大使孙海燕，重庆市委常委、常务副市长陈鸣波致辞，中共中央对外联络部副部长郭业洲，重庆市委常委、两江新区党工委书记罗蔺出席。

新加坡中国文化中心内，来自重庆、新加坡的商界、文化界等领域人士齐聚一堂，共同参加交流合作盛会，共话携手发展新未来。活动现场，重庆艺术家奏唱民歌《太阳出来喜洋洋》《丹绒加东》，动人旋律相互交织、此起彼伏，展现着两地独特的地方文化。

袁家军等共同见证“‘重’‘新’出发·渝新双枢纽双向游”启动。袁家军宣布：“新加坡·重庆周”开幕。

陈鸣波在致辞时说，重庆和新加坡合作已久、情谊绵长。重庆正深入贯彻中共二十大精神，抓住新时代中国西部大开发、成渝地区双城经济圈建设和陆海新通道建设等国家战略叠加机遇，打造带动全国高质量发展的重要增长极和新的动力源，全面建设社会主义现代化新重庆。面向未来，重庆和新加坡各界交流交往将更加频繁、空间更加广阔、前景更加值得期待。我们愿与新方一道，以“新加坡·重庆周”活动为契机，继续高标准实施中新互联互通项目，创造性开展更大范围更宽领域更深层次合作，发挥项目标杆、示范和引领作用，谱写重庆与新加坡、中国西部地区与东盟国家合作新篇章。

林明亮说，新加坡与重庆的合作是中新全方位高质量的前瞻性伙伴关系的良好体现。中新（重庆）战略性互联互通示范项目，是新加坡与重庆提出的基石性合作项目。通过在金融服务、航空产业、交通物流、信息通信四大重点领域的合作，加强了新加坡与重庆、东南亚与中国西部地区的互联互通。同时，中新互联互通项目也为农食贸易、绿色经济、医疗、旅游等领域的合作创造了条件。重庆山环水绕，历史文化底蕴丰厚，是一座现代化大都市。相信“新加坡·重庆周”的一系列活动能展现重庆独有的文化，让大家感受重庆的魅力。

孙海燕说，今年3月，习近平主席同李显龙总理在北京共同宣布中新建立全方位高质量的前瞻性伙伴关系。这三个词，每一个都具有丰富内涵，需要中新双方一起深入思考和探索，拓展新兴领域、发掘传统领域新时期的新内容。新加坡是国际都市建设发展的成功典范。当代重庆形成了独树一帜的城市风貌、人文景观和文化魅力。重庆周活动是重庆提升国际形象和影响力的重要举措，让大家得见重庆之美。希望通过一次次惊艳亮相，让越来越多的人感知重庆、浸润心灵、爱上重庆，共同为闪亮的重庆镶上金边，为现代化新重庆建设、为陆海新通道发展增添光彩、提供助力。

开幕式前，袁家军等参观了“新加坡·重庆周”重庆非物质文化遗产展。展厅内，梁平木版年画、黄杨木雕刻工艺、酉州苗绣等非遗展示精彩纷呈，大足石雕、蜡染制品、峡砚等非遗文创琳琅满目，吸引着新加坡市民的关注。袁家军等边走边看，不时驻足，同非遗传承人交流。

开幕式后，重庆和新加坡共同举办了重庆—新加坡旅游推介会。活动中，二胡独奏《蚂蚁》、民乐三重奏《赛马》、男女声三重唱《长江之歌》洋溢浓郁的重庆地域特色，各类旅游文化推介全方位展示重庆丰富旅游资源。

“新加坡·重庆周”由重庆市人民政府、新加坡贸工部共同主办，活动将持续至本月19日。其间，两地将广泛开展商务合作、人文交流和观摩体验等活动，举办重庆中医药新加坡行、重庆—新加坡企业对接交流会暨渝西地区一体化发展推介会、重庆老字号美食新加坡行等系列交流活动，推动在更大范围内实现互联互通，不断提升两地合作水平，助力现代化新重庆建设。

中国驻新加坡大使馆，新加坡贸工部、旅游局、企业发展局有关负责人，重庆市有关部门负责人，重庆市有关企业、在新有关中资机构，新加坡旅游行业协会及有关企业人员等参加。