China-Singapore Connectivity Project Marks Decade with Five Key Bridges, Boosting Regional Integration

Title: China-Singapore Connectivity Project Marks Decade with Five Key Bridges, Boosting Regional Integration

Subtitle: Land-sea corridor, cross-border financing, data express, air links, and people-to-people exchanges drive innovation and growth.

[CHONGQING, China – November 2025] – Over the past decade, the China-Singapore (Chongqing) Demonstration Initiative on Strategic Connectivity has successfully pioneered "Five Key Bridges" to foster high-level integration between western China and Southeast Asia, solidifying its role as a groundbreaking model for international cooperation.

Launched on November 7, 2015, as the third flagship intergovernmental project between China and Singapore, the initiative has prioritized finance, aviation, logistics, and information technology to reshape regional connectivity. At a recent conference marking its 10th anniversary, officials highlighted how these bridges have catalyzed trade, innovation, and cultural ties-1.The Five Bridges: Achievements and ImpactLand-Sea Trade Corridor

Since 2017, this corridor has linked western Chinese provinces like Chongqing to Singapore and global markets via rail-sea routes. By October 2025, it reached 127 countries and 581 ports, boosting western China-ASEAN trade to over 1 trillion yuan—a 75.3% surge since its launch. Transit times from Chongqing to Singapore plummeted from 10 days to 7, cutting costs by 25%-9.Cross-Border Financing Channel

The initiative has facilitated $217 billion in cumulative cross-border financing, supporting 100+ western enterprises. Beyond Chongqing, it enabled $6.3 billion in funding for 10 western provinces, advancing financial innovation like digital RMB settlements-1-6.International Data Express

As China’s first point-to-point dedicated data link, this "digital high-speed rail" slashed cross-border transmission delays by over threefold-5. It now serves 10+ industries—from manufacturing to healthcare—and extends to western regions like Sichuan and Yunnan.Chongqing-Singapore Air Bridge

Flight frequency surged from 5 to 24 weekly routes, with passenger traffic growing fivefold over 10 years. In 2024, ridership hit 252,400, a 237.3% year-on-year leap, fueling tourism and supply chain efficiency-6-9.People-to-People Exchange Channel

Annual student exchanges exceed 500 participants, while events like "Singapore-Chongqing Culture Weeks" deepen ties. Singaporean overnight visitors to Chongqing rose sevenfold, underscoring mutual tourism appeal-1-7.A Blueprint for Future CollaborationThe project’s success stems from its focus on institutional innovation and regional empowerment. "It has created a 'point-to-point' Chongqing-Singapore hub that fuels 'face-to-face' cooperation across western China and ASEAN," said Zhang Yongwu, Director of the Chongqing Commerce Commission.

Looking ahead, priorities include advancing digital economy initiatives—such as cross-border data governance and AI solutions—and promoting green development through low-carbon industrial parks and sustainable finance-7-9.

Quotes from Officials:Li An, Deputy Director of MOFCOM’s Asian Affairs Department: "This project breaks from traditional industrial parks, emphasizing connectivity and system innovation to help inland regions 'go global'"-7.Chen Jiehao, Singapore’s Senior Minister of State: "The corridor is a platform for regional integration, digital innovation, and green growth".

About the China-Singapore (Chongqing) Demonstration Initiative

Established in 2015, this intergovernmental project strengthens synergies between China’s Belt and Road Initiative and Singapore’s regional strategies. It has launched 347 collaborative projects totaling $26 billion, setting benchmarks for global partnerships