As China's economic powerhouse, Guangdong has built a stable and dynamic partnership with Singapore in trade, advanced technology, and cultural exchanges, with the Singapore-Guangdong Collaboration Council serving as a key platform.
Official data show that Guangdong has remained Singapore's top provincial trading partner in China for 36 consecutive years. In the first three quarters of 2025, bilateral trade volume reached 123.83 billion yuan, up 5.6% year-on-year.
"Guangdong stands out as one of China's most developed regions, with the country's largest provincial GDP, strong manufacturing capabilities, a high degree of openness, and a pivotal role in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA)," Professor Liu Hong, Tan Lark Sye Chair Professor in Public Policy and Global Affairs of Nanyang Technological University, said in a recent interview with South at the APEC Economies China Studies Scholars Forum in Guangzhou.
"China-Singapore model" offers a blueprint for the Global South
The China-Singapore Guangzhou Knowledge City (SSGKC), established in 2010, is a flagship project of bilateral cooperation. Over the past 15 years, it has steadily pushed forward high-tech industrial transformation.
Liu Hong stressed that the Guangdong-Singapore model is highly replicable, particularly for developing countries across the Global South.
"Singapore offers a streamlined, highly internationalized model of economic and social governance, while Guangdong has a comprehensive economic system underpinned by strong manufacturing and solid agriculture. Together, they reflect the economic landscape of most developing countries," Liu Hong explained.
By combining Singapore's governance expertise with Guangdong's industrial strengths, the two sides have developed a distinctive model of "policy transfer." This model has been adopted in training programs for government officials from Southeast Asia and Africa, who visit Guangdong to learn from its development experience.
A unique ecosystem featuring openness and complementary strengths
According to Liu Hong, the Guangdong-Singapore relationship is distinguished by strong economic complementarity. As China's largest provincial economy, Guangdong is a world-class manufacturing hub with a high degree of external openness.
Liu Hong noted that Guangdong's integration into the GBA further strengthens this dynamic. By connecting innovative hubs such as Shenzhen, established economic centers such as Guangzhou, and global financial centers like Hong Kong, the GBA provides a distinctive platform for international cooperation.
"The GBA is vital because it incorporates diverse types of economies," Liu Hong said, "(Guangdong) should not simply wait for foreign partners to approach. It should actively reach out, deepen ties, and pursue win-win cooperation with other APEC member economies."
Amid multiple overlapping regional frameworks, including APEC, whose secretariat is located in Singapore, China-ASEAN Free Trade Area (CAFTA), and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), Guangdong and Singapore can serve as twin drivers of trade facilitation across the Asia-Pacific.
Two-way brand integration: From business to cultural inclusion
This economic synergy is also vividly reflected in consumer markets. Today, Singaporean brands such as BreadTalk and Bee Cheng Hiang have become household names in Guangzhou, while homegrown Guangdong brands such as HeyTea and Yuan's Hotpot are expanding rapidly in Singapore.
Leading technology companies are following suit. Shenzhen-based Tencent has established its regional headquarters in Singapore and is actively recruiting local engineering talent.
Liu Hong views such two-way brand exchanges as an important vehicle for "soft power" that fosters mutual understanding. He suggested that Chinese brands seeking growth in multicultural and multiethnic markets such as Singapore should fully adapt to local conditions.
"When Chinese products enter Singapore, they need to cater to all ethnic communities, rather than target only overseas Chinese consumers," the expert said.
Looking ahead, Liu Hong expects deeper cross-border cooperation. For example, Cantonese culinary icons such as Guangzhou Restaurant's dim sum will win popularity among global tourists in Singapore, while advanced medical devices from Singapore will be tested and adopted in Guangdong's high-end healthcare sector.
Having visited Guangdong dozens of times, Liu Hong praised the province's vibrant and inclusive environment. "Cities such as Guangzhou and Shenzhen are remarkably open, not only to talent from across China but also to foreign talent and visitors. The region offers a business-friendly environment, sound infrastructure, and a world-renowned culinary culture."
Reporter | Guo Chuhua
Photo | Liu Hong
