Sino-Singapore Guangzhou Knowledge City (“SSGKC”) gears up for next phase of development with formation of Global Industry Alliance
- Global Industry Alliance formed to facilitate collaboration in four key industry clusters: Smart Cities, Advanced Manufacturing, Services and Wellness
- MOU signed with TUS Financial Group to set up artificial intelligence industry centre, the first flagship project under the Chinese government’s Greater Bay Area initiative
- MOU with Neuron Mobility Pte Ltd to launch the first smart personal mobility solution pilot programme in China
Singapore, 24 August 2018 – Ascendas-Singbridge, Asia’s leading sustainable urban development and business space solutions provider, today announced, in conjunction with the 9th Singapore-Guangdong Collaboration Council (“SGCC”) meeting, the formation of the SSGKC Global Industry Alliance to facilitate industry collaboration across four key industry clusters: Smart Cities, Advanced Manufacturing, Services and Wellness. This will align SSGKC’s next phase of development with Guangzhou government’s emphasis on the Information Technology, Artificial Intelligence and Biopharmaceutical (“IAB”) industry, part of its broader strategic roadmap of the Greater Bay Area.
Powered by scientific innovation and advanced manufacturing capabilities, the Greater Bay Area, comprising of Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Macau and other cities along the Pearl River Delta region, is slated to become the largest bay economy by 2020.
With Guangzhou identified as one of the three growth poles of the Greater Bay Area, AscendasSingbridge aims to partner with the Guangzhou government and Guangzhou Development District Administrative Committee to jointly develop SSGKC into Guangzhou’s IAB Hub, anchored by the formation of the SSGKC Global Industry Alliance.
The SSGKC Global Industry Alliance will facilitate collaboration opportunities among global and local Chinese companies to develop integrated end-to-end solutions. These solutions can then be deployed for both city development and industry development within SSGKC.
To date, 15 companies have joined the Alliance to form the industry clusters, comprising mainly Singapore and international firms including SP Group, a Temasek-owned energy utilities company and Delta Electronics, a global provider of power and thermal management solutions. (Please refer to the annex for more details about the Alliance members)
Mrs Nina Yang, Ascendas-Singbridge’s CEO for Sustainable Urban Development, said, “The SSGKC Global Industry Alliance is one of our key initiatives that will provide a conducive ecosystem for companies to collaborate and take their innovative ideas to fruition.
In the current innovation economy, we believe IAB are the enablers that will transform industry verticals, which we will embrace through the Alliance members to facilitate industry collaboration across the four industry clusters. We hope that more companies will join us.”
In April 2018, Chinese President Xi Jinping mentioned the elevation of SSGKC’s status to a State-Level Bilateral Cooperation Project in his meeting with Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong at the Boao Forum for Asia, a move which PM Lee had welcomed. This further validates both governments’ commitment to ensuring the success of SSGKC’s unique model as an enterprise-led, government driven and market-operated project.
Since its inception in 2010, SSGKC has achieved significant progress. Following the completion of basic infrastructure works in the Start-Up Area (“SUA”) and the opening of two new subway lines by end of 2018, accessibility and connectivity in the area have improved significantly.
As at end June 2018, SSGKC has attracted more than 1,000 companies with a total registered capital of over RMB100 billion.
“Building upon SSGKC’s solid foundations since inception and leveraging on its imminent elevation to a State-Level Bilateral Cooperation Project, we expect to see increased opportunities for companies to embark on integrated developments beyond the SSGKC Start-Up Area.”
In addition to the announcement of the SSGKC Global Industry Alliance, two Memoranda of Understanding (“MoU”) were signed to further pave way for SSGKC’s next phase of development.
Setting up of an artificial intelligence industry centre
Under the first MoU, Ascendas-Singbridge and TUS Financial Group, the financial services arm of Tsinghua University-backed Tus-Holdings, agreed to establish the “Chinese Academy of Sciences – TUS Enhanced Artificial Intelligence International Industry Centre” in SSGKC. This will be the first flagship project under the Chinese government’s Greater Bay Area initiative.
To be located at Ascendas OneHub GKC, the Centre will undertake key research and development projects that leverage the fundamental research of core chipset technology to achieve breakthroughs in artificial intelligence applications. Supported by the Chinese Academy of Sciences’ Suzhou Institute of Nano-tech and Nano-bionics (“SINANO”), Guangzhou Radio Group, Beijing University and Tsinghua University, the Centre will drive programmes that facilitate industry collaborations, conversion and Page 3 of 4 incubation of intellectual property, as well as the construction and operation of a shared technology platform.
Ascendas-Singbridge will also provide the necessary support to facilitate the setting up of the Chinese Academy of Sciences – TUS Headquarters, the Guangdong branch of SINANO, the International Collaborative Innovation Workstation, as well as the Chinese Academy of Sciences – TUS Industry Accelerator at Ascendas OneHub GKC
TUS Financial will also explore the establishment of an Industry Investment Fund to support the growth of start-ups and enterprises, as well as the Elite Community Support group to facilitate industry collaboration and knowledge transfer.
Launch of pilot programme for ‘Smart Mobility Last Mile Connectivity’ solutions
At the same time, Sino-Singapore Guangzhou Knowledge City Investment and Development Co., Ltd (“GKC Co”), Singapore-based personal mobility solutions provider Neuron Mobility Pte. Ltd. (“Neuron”) and Guangzhou Knowledge City Ascendas Business Park Development Co., Ltd. entered into a MoU to jointly undertake a Smart Urban Mobility Technology Centre project to showcase ‘Smart Mobility Last Mile Connectivity’ solutions in SSGKC. This marks the launch of the first smart personal mobility solution pilot programme in China.
Under this MoU, Neuron will set up a smart mobility technology research and development centre to support the rapid development of its global network of smart shared electric scooters in the first-mile last-mile connectivity space. As part of the pilot programme, Neuron intends to deploy 300 shared scooters, supported by a network of charging and docking stations at OneHub GKC in the initial stage, and to eventually extend the services to other parts of SSGKC.
Separately, as part of Ascendas-Singbridge’s commitment to bringing Singapore expertise into Guangzhou, GKC Co also signed an agreement with Knowledge City Administrative Committee (“KCAC”) to further extend their collaboration in training and talent development for another three years, via the Centre of Excellence for Software Transfer (“CEST”), with a target of training 500 officials a year.
Since 2013, GKC Co and KCAC have been organising inbound and outbound training programmes designed to address the specific needs of SSGKC, including training courses focused on topics such as potable water supply systems, urban design, e-Government, social development, labour administration, green building standards, etc. To date, over 8500 representatives from the government and enterprises within the region have participated in these programmes.