Chongqing Exporting Canned Meat to Singapore for the First Time

On March 10, the export ceremony of the first batch of canned pork luncheon meat from Chongqing to Singapore was held in Hechuan District and Wanzhou District. A total of 19.5 tons of canned pork, produced by Chongqing Dejia Meat Technology Development Co., Ltd. and CQAPG Food Technology Co., Ltd. were successfully loaded and shipped to Singapore. This marks the first-ever export of Chongqing’s processed meat products to Singapore and a significant step for Chongqing enterprises to further align with high-standard international economic and trade rules.

How does a small can of meat embark on an overseas journey and make its way to the dining tables of Singaporean households? The success is attributed to 1) the advantages of the China-Singapore (Chongqing) Demonstration Initiative on Strategic Connectivity (CCI), 2) Chongqing’s ongoing commitment to strengthening international cooperation via the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor (ILSTC), and 3) the coordinated efforts of municipal and district-level authorities.

CCI Serving as a Bridge for Export

“The year 2025 marks the 35th anniversary of China-Singapore diplomatic relations and the 10th anniversary of the CCI. With joint efforts from both sides, Chongqing exported its canned pork to Singapore for the first time, which is a fine example of Chongqing enterprises aligning with high-standard international economic and trade rules, a good start for China-Singapore cooperation in the first quarter, and a landmark achievement of the CCI,” said Sun Xiyong, Deputy Director-General of the Chongqing Municipal Commission of Commerce and Deputy Director-General of Chongqing Connectivity Initiative Bureau. In recent years, Chongqing and Singapore have leveraged project cooperation mechanisms and expanded the demonstrative effect of soft connectivity through institutional opening-up, achieving remarkable results.

The breakthrough in exporting Chongqing’s processed meat products to Singapore showcases the opening advantage of the CCI, demonstrates the strength of logistics corridors in driving the development of trade, and marks a new stage of the CCI, from mere physical connectivity to mutual recognition of trade standards.

Sun Xiyong explained that from previous research, Singapore has a huge demand for canned meat and Chongqing enterprises are eager to export. However, as the animal-derived products regulatory system of Chongqing not being certified by Singapore, companies were unable to obtain the qualification to export.

To export processed meat and egg products to Singapore, Chongqing leveraged the CCI and China-Singapore customs cooperation and enhanced communication with Singapore’s Ministry of Trade and Industry and the Singapore Food Agency. Government departments from both sides established a dedicated taskforce to jointly advance this work. The Chongqing Connectivity Initiative Bureau and the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce & Industry formed a government–business association strategic partnership and facilitated the signing of a memorandum of cooperation between the Chongqing Meat Industry Association and Meat Traders’ Association (Singapore). This collaboration aims to build an international trade network, deepen meat trade exchanges, and promote cooperation between Chongqing and Singapore.

On-Site Guidance Removing Export Bottlenecks

Singapore’s stringent food safety standards present a major challenge for exporters in aligning with high-standard economic and trade rules. To address this, the Chongqing Connectivity Initiative Bureau adopted multiple measures to help enterprises overcome trade barriers efficiently.

From one approach, it collaborated with multiple agencies, including Chongqing Customs, Chongqing Municipal Commission of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Chongqing Municipal Administration for Market Regulation, Singapore’s Ministry of Trade and Industry, the Singapore Food Agency, Enterprise Singapore, Chongqing Meat Industry Association and Meat Traders’ Association (Singapore) to support enterprises in their transformation toward higher standards, better quality, and increased specialization.

Municipal and district-level authorities also established a dedicated task force to provide on-site guidance for enterprises intending to export. They offered one-on-one support to help businesses systematically review relevant laws, regulations, and quality control plans, optimize production management processes, and upgrade technical procedures to meet Singapore’s food management requirements. Special guidance was provided to Chongqing Dejia Meat Technology Development Co., Ltd. and CQAPG Food Technology Co., Ltd., enabling them to complete technical upgrades and certification applications ahead of others, laying a solid foundation for international cooperation and development.

From another approach, aligning with Singapore’s SS 668 Cold Chain Management Standard for Refrigerated and Frozen Food, Chongqing utilized a special fund of the county-level commercial system to support districts and counties in strengthening cold chain logistics infrastructure. Efforts were made to upgrade the traceability system for food cold chain logistics and coordinate with the Port and Logistics Office of the Chongqing Municipal People’s Government to help districts and counties fully leverage the ILSTC, expanding logistics options such as highway-sea and rail-sea intermodal transportation. Through the China-Singapore customs cooperation mechanism, Chongqing Customs optimized the clearance process for agricultural and food products, ensuring zero delays in customs clearance for fresh and perishable agricultural food products.

In terms of market access certification, Chongqing closely coordinated with the Singapore government, effectively managing the timeline and conducting online verification, which enabled the animal-derived products regulatory system of Chongqing to swiftly pass Singapore’s market access certification. Chongqing Dejia Meat Technology Development Co., Ltd. and CQAPG Food Technology Co., Ltd. were granted approval to export five types of animal-derived canned products to Singapore, including pork, poultry, beef, mutton, and eggs.

“Obtaining Singapore’s market access certification is of great significance. It not only marks a breakthrough in Chongqing’s meat product exports to Singapore but also introduces an innovative model of ‘one company approved, city-wide benefits’, driving high-level industry development,” said Wang Zhongwen, Vice Commissioner, Chongqing Customs. Moving forward, all eligible Chongqing enterprises producing the five types of animal-derived canned products can be recommended for overseas registration through customs, quickly gaining the qualification to export to Singapore. This will significantly reduce international trade costs for enterprises and further expand the scale of Chongqing’s agricultural product exports.

Chongqing Dejia Meat Technology Development Co., Ltd. has been deeply engaged in meat processing for 30 years, with its canned products sold to more than ten countries and regions, including Hong Kong SAR and Macao SAR,  Southeast Asia, Africa, and Oceania. Speaking about this export, Lai Weixue, Chairman of the company, shared his thoughts, “Thanks to the full guidance and on-site support from experts at the Chongqing Municipal Commission of Commerce and Chongqing Customs, we quickly familiarized ourselves with Singapore’s trade regulations. This also pushed us to upgrade our entire chain from manufacturing, technology to management. More importantly, entering the Singaporean market enables us to reach the entire ASEAN region. Our next shipment will be sent to Malaysia, and we expect our total export value to exceed RMB100 million this year.”

Cui Guosheng, General Manager of CQAPG Food Technology Co., Ltd., stated, “Based on the signed and ongoing orders, our annual export value of canned meat to Singapore is expected to exceed RMB10 million. This successful entry into the Singaporean market will further enhance our product’s reputation and brand influence, allowing us to expand our presence in both international and domestic markets more effectively.”

“The joint efforts of the Chongqing and Singapore governments are exactly what businesses on both sides have been hoping for and what the market has been waiting for. This successful export of canned meat would not have been possible without the strong support of the Singaporean government,” said Sun Xiyong. Moving forward, Chongqing will continue working closely with Singapore to enhance the resilience of the supply chain between the two regions, guide enterprises in continuously improving their quality management systems, and support Chongqing-produced agricultural and food products in expanding into international markets at a faster pace. Efforts will be made to help relevant districts and counties fully leverage the CCI, Chongqing Pilot Free Trade Zone, and the Pilot of the Comprehensive Trials for further Opening-Up of the Services Sector. These efforts aim to create new advantages in industrial openness and facilitate Chongqing’s development into an international consumption center city and an international economic and trade cooperation hub to the West and South, ultimately turning Chongqing into a leading area for international cooperation in inland China.

Photo/Chongqing Municipal Commission of Commerce (Chongqing Connectivity Initiative Bureau)