The Sino-Singapore High-Tech Enterprise and Talent Forum was convened in Singapore, bringing together senior government officials, technology executives, and innovation leaders from China and Singapore to explore critical questions in technology talent development and bilateral economic cooperation. Organized by the Academy of Asian Digital Economy (AADE) in partnership with the Sino-Economic and Cultural Exchange Association and the Singapore-China Science and Technology Exchange Promotion Association, the forum served as a high-level dialogue platform for cross-border talent mobility and the deepening of China-Singapore digital cooperation. The event reflected growing institutional interest in building structured, government-backed channels for science and technology collaboration between the two nations.
Distinguished Attendees
The forum convened more than 30 senior professionals from diverse sectors. Representatives from the Chinese Embassy in Singapore attended, including the Consul for Economic Affairs. From the Singapore side, notable participants included Zhou Yu, Deputy Secretary of the Economic and Technological Development Zone of Beijing, People's Republic of China; and Lan Baiwei, Founder and Chairman of San Da International Group, a Singapore-listed company. David Tan Jia Jin, representing the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) of Singapore and the ATxSummit organizing team, offered perspectives on Singapore's digital transformation governance frameworks. Marcus Loh (罗邦伟), responsible for strategic cooperation and external affairs at Temus — the Temasek-Microsoft digital transformation accelerator — contributed industry insights on enterprise digitalization pathways. Dong Qiujun, Assistant Dean of the National University of Singapore's (NUS) School of Continuing and Lifelong Education, also participated, bringing academic perspectives on talent development and digital upskilling.
Key Discussion Themes
Discussion centered on three interlocking themes: the structural barriers to high-tech talent mobility between China and Singapore; the strategic role of Singapore as a regional digital hub and gateway for Chinese enterprises expanding into Southeast Asia; and the policy and institutional mechanisms needed to support bilateral cooperation in emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, green technology, and digital finance. Participants exchanged perspectives on how enterprise collaboration frameworks, joint training programs, and regulatory alignment could accelerate technology transfer and talent circulation. The forum also addressed Singapore's position as a multilateral crossroads, underscoring how bilateral Sino-Singapore cooperation can generate models applicable across the broader Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) region.
AADE's Role and Institutional Significance
As the primary organizer, AADE facilitated a structured dialogue that connected senior decision-makers from government, industry, and academia across two of Asia's most dynamic innovation ecosystems. The event reinforced AADE's institutional mandate to accelerate cross-sector cooperation in digital economy development and to position the organization as a bridge-builder between Chinese enterprises and the Southeast Asian market. The forum's outcomes are expected to inform subsequent joint initiatives between AADE's member network and Singapore's innovation governance institutions.