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ON THE HORIZON: Sino-Singapore Tianjin Eco-City
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Sino-Singapore Tianjin Eco-City

By Richard Cook


BT 201508 06 On the horizon Screen Shot 2015 07 12 at 8.23.32 PMSingapore Prime Minister Tony Tan Ken Yam completed his recent visit to China this month, where he sought to reaffirm strong bilateral relations between the two countries. His trip included a significant award from Nankai University as they bestowed him with an honorary doctorate further symbolizing the close ties between, not just the countries, but the city of Tianjin and Singapore. The visit also fell upon the transition of outgoing Sino-Singapore Tianjin Eco-City (SSTEC) Chief Executive Officer Mr Ho Tong Yen and the newly appointed Mr Liew Choon Boon, which took effect on July 1st.


The SSTEC is a joint venture between a Singapore Consortium led by the Keppel Group and a Chinese Consortium led by Tianjin TEDA Investment Holding Co., which began in 2008. Located 10 minutes north of TEDA by car, the project is one of China's leading Green development projects.


Mr Liew, a senior director in the Ministry of National Development, has been heading the Ministry of National Development's Eco-City Project Office since 2013 and is familiar with the specifics of the Sino-Singapore Tianjin Eco-City Project. His experience in a range of senior positions such as education and community development display his ability to further this project


Green Potential
As China is the world's leader in green technology, in terms of quantity, the SSTEC holds significant clout on Tianjin's international identity. Public clamor for clean air and open spaces to combat China's critical pollution problems is a part of the manifesto in "China's Cities of Tomorrow". The next Five Year Plan already has significant mention of furthering environmentally friendly pockets in high-density population areas, such as the Tianjin Municipality.


Governed by the principle of The Key Performance Indicators, the Eco-City will be a real life self-sustainable environment, showcasing 30 square kilometres of environmentally friendly innovation. Originally designed by the Surbana Urban Planning Group the city will boast a light rail transit system and vast solar powered arrays, generating power for the community. From 2011 developments were made in the Tianjin Eco-City, such as the award winning "Low Carbon Living Lab," which made significant energy utilization breakthroughs on building features. 28% energy utilization from renewable sources, 30% usage of recycled materials during building construction and 30% less energy consumed in comparison to certain similar buildings within Tianjin. Buildings here are designed to be the most environmentally stringent in the world.


The effect of the Eco-City has had widespread success for Tianjin. Notably the Wuqing and Tourism Districts have begun to replicate certain concepts from the Eco-City, such as water conservation techniques. This is just the first of many steps that will see further environmentally friendly practices spread across Tianjin.


BT 201508 07 On the horizon HL"Reasonable Development"
The Tianjin Eco-City has gained increasing scrutiny in recent months over issues of development. Its progress, described as "reasonable" has drawn upon some criticism. With a current population of just 20,000, far from the target of its early to mid 2020 target of 350,000, it is understandable to hear some complaints. The project is passing the halfway mark on its timetable, having been in operation now for 7 years, yet considering the bigger picture these figures are understandable. Building these pioneering cities was always going to be a trial by error project.


When we consider the geographical location and proximity to the developing Binhai TEDA Zone, we must recognize that major transportation links are about to be completed in the coming months. The opening of Binhai's Yujiapu Station in August will provide a high-speed rail link to Beijing and Tianjin city centre, slashing commuter times. Also, the highly anticipated Yujiapu Financial District at the heart of the Binhai area is nearing completion. These are just two major factors that stand up to some of the recent pessimism surrounding the low population and activity in the Tianjin Eco-City so far. Thus in the coming months there is expectation for the activity within the Tianjin Eco-City. Within the Tianjin Eco-City there have already been monumental developments in the hospitality sector. The Hilton Tianjin Eco-City Hotel and its jaw-dropping Qing style palace-like architecture is a focal point. Aside from this, there are now 2,000 registered companies primarily from the information and environmental sectors. These companies have access to some lucrative funding. In 2012, $9.5million SGD, roughly 43million CNY was made available for Singaporean companies wishing to gain a foothold in the project. Although, not a lavish amount, these figures are expected to rise as the project reaches maturity. As for issues surrounding the residential sector, within the year a 350-bed capacity hospital, a low tuition high school and neighborhood centre are scheduled to be open. Thus, the coming year will be a significant leap in terms of development and should silence critics who have compared progress to Hebei's Caofeidan Eco-City project.


BT 201508 04 On the horizon Screen Shot 2015 07 12 at 8.19.55 PM'Technology Ecosystems'
Incoming Mr Leiw stated that, "over the past 7 years we have been able to transform a barren piece of wasteland into an urban oasis. It is an achievement and is a testimony of the close collaboration between Singapore and China and the support of both governments." The Sino-Singapore Tianjin Eco-City is the second government-to-government project, after the Suzhou Industrial Park, and showcases bilateral ties as well as regional commitments from China towards the ASEAN community. Already, a civil service education programme has proved a major success for China since 2012, relating to ASEAN agreements. Over the past few years China has watched Singapore very closely on how to facilitate 'startup technology ecosystems' as well as its civil service. In June the Chinese government passed almost 100 new measures to help homegrown entrepreneurs get off the ground. These include government subsidies, tax breaks, a pilot equity crowd-funding scheme and the initiation of the Internet Plus Action, which provides reduced prices for high quality Internet connectivity. These techniques have come to fruition thanks to the government-to-government developments and the expressed interest of the Singaporean PM to cement business links with China. It is well noted that the Sino-Singapore Tianjin Eco-City is one of the key technology ecosystems, thus the joint venture is turning heads with regards to investment. Let's not forget the international hype, the Sino-Singapore Tianjin Eco-City was presented to the United Nations in 2013 and developers won't want to end in failure when showcasing plans on such a grand scale.


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