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18 Nov 2007

More Opportunities to Enhance Sino-Singapore Ties
Launch of Singapore-China Foundation (SCF)

1.         Mr Lee Hsien Loong, Prime Minister of Singapore, and Mr Wen Jiabao, Premier of the State Council of the People's Republic of China (PRC), will officially launch the Singapore China Foundation (SCF) at the Istana today.  The launch of the SCF is one of the highlights of Premier Wen’s visit to Singapore.

2.         The SCF seeks to advance cooperation in education and human resource development, strengthen ties and understanding, and contribute to the warm relations between Singapore and China.  Since its establishment in 2004, the SCF has played a vital role in fostering greater understanding and trust between the government officials from both countries. So far, more than 20 Singaporean and Chinese officials have been awarded scholarships under the SCF’s Singapore-China Premier Scholarships and Executive Programme Scholarships to study in each other’s country. Universities providing the studies are the Peking University, National University of Singapore and the Nanyang Technological University.

3.         These scholarship programmes are part of the Foundation’s efforts to promote people-to-people ties between the two countries.  Scholars who have returned from the programmes have benefited from their exposure to the socio-political and economic development of their country of study, and fostered rewarding long-term relationships with their respective counterparts. Some of the scholars have come together to form an alumni network to maintain their ties through activities such as get-together sessions. 

4.         The SCF will also be offering scholarships to outstanding candidates from the private sector in the near future. Thus, industry leaders from Singapore and China can also look forward to more opportunities to interact and develop ties with one another, as well as with government officials of both countries. 

5.         Funded by the Singapore Government and the Singapore Totalisator Board in its start-up years, the SCF will be supported by donations from businesses and other private organisations moving forward. 

6.         Following its official launch, the SCF will co-organise a banquet for Premier Wen with the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry on 19 November 2007. 

7.         Governors appointed to the SCF are shown in Annex A.  The programmes under the SCF are in Annex B.

Background

8.         The idea of setting up an exchange programme for young government officials from Singapore and China was first raised by then Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong and Premier Wen in 2004.  This led to the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding on the establishment of the SCF on 14 May 2004 between Singapore and China, witnessed by then Deputy Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and PRC Vice-Premier Wu Yi. Since then, Singapore has been sending officials under the SCF to China from Sep 2004 and Chinese officials started coming to Singapore from Jul 2005.

9.         For more information on the SCF, please refer to its website – http://www.singaporechinafoundation.org/

Annex A