By Brand Studio

Copyright channelnewsasia

A former ambassador to China, Mr Chin Siat Yoon had a ringside view of the country’s rapid growth and transformation during his 14-year posting from 1998 to 2012.

Over a 30-year career with Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr Chin also served as ambassador to Germany, Japan and Thailand. He played a key role in strengthening bilateral ties and advancing economic and cultural links between Singapore and China.

He was instrumental in finalising the China-Singapore Free Trade Agreement (CSFTA), signed in 2008. As China’s first comprehensive bilateral free trade agreement with an Asian country, the CSFTA significantly boosted trade and investment flows between the two nations when it came into effect in 2009. By 2013, China had become Singapore’s largest trading partner.

As ambassador to China, Mr Chin helped establish the Joint Council for Bilateral Cooperation (JCBC) – the apex platform for government-to-government ties – in 2003. The JCBC oversees flagship initiatives such as the Suzhou Industrial Park and the Sino-Singapore Tianjin Eco-City.

“An unspoken but important purpose of the JCBC is to get ministers from both sides to get to know one another, so that contact is maintained across a broad front,” reflected Mr Chin.

Though he has received various accolades over the years, Mr Chin said he was “surprised and honoured” to be named the recipient of the Business China Excellence Award.

“I owe a debt of gratitude to all the leaders I had the honour to serve, and to my staff in Beijing and the consulates in China,” he said. “Foreign policy is fascinating, endlessly challenging and – for a small country like Singapore – of immense importance. It’s a privilege to have been part of it.”

ENTERPRISE AWARD: A LANDMARK COOPERATION PROJECT