WE REFER to Sunday’s report, ‘Rumblings in Tianjin Eco-City’. The raison d’etre for the eco-city collaboration is different from Suzhou Industrial Park, which was conceptualised over 15 years ago, when China was at a different phase of economic development.
In Singapore’s collaboration with China to jointly develop the eco-city, we recognise that China has adopted a ’scientific model of development’, which emphasises sustainable development and social harmony.
The Ministry of National Development (MND) is the lead agency for the eco-city project, as the focus is on sustainable development and urban solutions. Other ministries and agencies, including the ministries of Trade & Industry and Environment & Water Resources, play an important role through various inter-agency committees set up to drive the project, under a whole-of-government approach.
All parties involved in the project share the same goal and vision of making the eco-city a model for sustainable development. The eco-city has progressed well. It has attracted over 30 billion yuan (S$6 billion) worth of investments from international and regional developers.
The report raised a concern about the eco-city’s profitability. Indeed, commercial viability is a key guiding principle. This is why the project is executed by a commercial 50-50 joint venture formed by the Singapore and Chinese consortiums, or Sino-Singapore Tianjin Eco-City Investment and Development (SSTEC). The Singapore consortium’s confidence in the eco-city is reflected in Keppel being the first foreign property developer to have broken ground for a 5,000-unit residential-cum-commercial project.
Building the eco-city from scratch is challenging. Yet, within a short period of two years since it was mooted, we have managed to achieve more than was expected. This demonstrates the close collaboration and warm relations at all levels. We expect the collaboration and cooperation between Singapore and Tianjin in the eco-city to become even stronger.
Your correspondent quoted an unnamed Singaporean saying, ‘We may have another Suzhou Industrial Park tangle in our hands’. Such a comment is inappropriate. It is not unusual for differences in views for any joint project, especially at an early developmental phase. They are discussed and resolved at the various coordinating fora established for the project. The report also quoted various unnamed officials. It is regrettable that your correspondent did not formally approach MND or SSTEC for clarifications on the points of concern highlighted.
Ong Beng Lee
Director, Eco-City Project Office
Ministry of National Development
Goh Chye Boon
CEO
Sino-Singapore Tianjin Eco-City Investment and Development
Source: Straits Times, 1 Jan 2010
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