Singapore and China Jointly Launch Inaugural Publication on Urban Governance

Mar 19, 2016

Ministry of National Development (MND), Singapore, and the Development Research Center of the State Council of the People’s Republic of China (DRC) jointly launched an inaugural publication on urban governance today. The Centre for Liveable Cities (CLC), a division of the MND, and the DRC’s Department of Macroeconomic Research represented the two countries in driving this collaboration. The publication is the first major research outcome of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed between MND and DRC, witnessed by President Tony Tan and President Xi Jinping during the former’s state visit to the People’s Republic of China in July 2015. The MOU aims to facilitate knowledge-sharing between China and Singapore in the areas of urban governance, liveability, sustainability and policy issues of concern to both governments, as well as draw lessons from the development experience of both countries through visiting fellowships, joint research and publications.

This inaugural publication is the first significant outcome of the collaboration between MND and DRC, as part of the MOU. Based on the development experiences and reforms of Singapore and the People’s Republic of China, and their respective journeys in creating liveable and sustainable cities, it aims to serve as a useful resource for policy makers, experts and researchers involved in urban policy formulation, as well as those with a keen interest in sustainable and liveable urbanisation. This publication focuses on four important aspects of urban development, namely: Urbanisation Overview, Urban Planning and Governance, Public Housing and Infrastructure Financing. The publication concludes with a synthesis of the key insights and lessons drawn from the two countries’ development experience.

Pioneers and eminent experts from Singapore and the People’s Republic of China actively contributed to the publication. They were contributed by pioneers who had been closely involved in Singapore’s development journey such as Executive Director of CLC Mr Khoo Teng Chye, Chairman of CLC’s Advisory Board Dr Liu Thai Ker, Chairman of Urban Redevelopment Authority Mr Peter Ho, former Deputy Chief Executive for the Housing and Development Board Mr Chionh Chye Khye, and former Deputy Secretary for the Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Trade and Industry Ms Low Sin Leng. Eminent experts and researchers from DRC including Vice Minister Wang Yiming, former Vice Minister of DRC Liu Shijing, Director-General Hou Yongzhi, Deputy Director-General Dr Wei Jianing, Deputy Director-General Meng Chun and Research Fellow Ren Xingzhou also actively contributed to the publication.

In sharing his Singapore experience in the Urban Planning and Governance Chapter, Chairman of CLC’s Advisory Board Dr Liu said: “Singapore has become the way it is because the city tackles core problems and not symptoms; its political leaders set high visions with pragmatic solutions, its professionals hone solid skills to tackle real issues”. Dr Liu also emphasised that “a good urban plan is born out of a Humanist Heart, Scientist’s Head and Artist’s Eye”. To this, CLC’s Executive Director Mr Khoo said that Singapore’s development success was attributed to its focus on three key outcomes: a competitive economy, sustainable environment and high quality of life, based on two underlying systems of integrated master planning and dynamic governance.

In sharing China’s urbanisation experience, former Vice Minister of DRC Wang Shijing said: “The only engine that enables China to realise ‘China’s Dream’ and move from a middle-income country to a high-income country is to promote high-quality of urbanisation”. China’s urbanisation should follow the general principles of urbanisation, and at the same time it also needs to take into account China’s unique characteristics.” On infrastructure financing, Vice Minister of DRC Wang Yiming said: “PPP (Public-Private-Partnership) is a long-term cooperation model between the government and the private sector, which allows the government and the private sector to share benefits and risks. There is established experience of applying PPP model for infrastructure financing. In China, boosting the adoption of PPP will be conducive to resolving the bottlenecks in investment and management of urban infrastructure, preventing risks and helping promote sustainable urbanisation.

Dr Liu, Mr Khoo and Vice Minister Wang Yiming jointly launched the Chinese version of the joint publication today at the China Development Forum, China’s highest national level event in Beijing. The English version of the publication will be co-launched by CLC and DRC leaders at the World Cities Summit in Singapore, in July 2016. The World Cities Summit is an international event co-organised by CLC and Urban Redevelopment Authority of Singapore which attracts government leaders, mayors and senior representatives from businesses, the academia, and international organisations globally.