Introduction Singapore-Suzhou Industrial Park 20 Years On: Development and Changes
The Suzhou Industrial Park (SIP), inaugurated in 1994 with the strong support from the governments of Singapore and China, will be celebrating its 25th anniversary on 12 June 2019. This quarter of a century anniversary will mark a major milestone in the ever-evolving Singapore-China relationship. From a project that has survived the many operational hiccups at the start-up phase to its present standing as an unrivalled industrial park in China, the SIP has indeed come a long way. Through collaborating on the SIP, not only have the businesses from both sides benefitted from the economic opportunities but also past, present and succeeding generations of Singapore and Chinese leaders have gotten to know each other better. The political and economic networks built up over the years have proved most invaluable. The SIP stands as an example of what can be jointly achieved once both sides set their hearts and minds to it. It is a concrete symbol of the substantive relationship between China and Singapore.