The Sino-Singapore Tianjin Eco-city faces increasing competition from similar concepts around the world.
Looking ahead, Singapore has said full focus is needed to establish the Tianjin Eco-city as a leader in eco-development.
Six years on from when the project between Singapore and China first started, the Tianjin Eco-city has seen much progress.
Co-chairing the Joint Working Committee meeting in Beijing on Wednesday, Singapore’s Minister for National Development, Khaw Boon Wan, said the goal is to build an Eco-city replicable in other parts of China — contributing to the country’s fight against pollution.
However, the Eco-city is facing increased competition from other similar projects both in China and around the world. And this could be a critical juncture to ensure it stays ahead of the competition.
Lee Yi Shyan, Senior Minister of State for Trade and Industry and National Development, said: “If we do not ride on the momentum, we may lose out in terms of it being a leader in eco-development both in China and around the world. So I think the competition will motivate us to run faster.
“What we want to see is 100 per cent focus, an all-out effort to make sure this toddler will grow up to be a nice teenager when we reach the 10th anniversary. To be fair, we have all the ingredients for success.”
One key challenge is in attracting more green industries.
Meanwhile, more amenities such as schools and public healthcare services are being built to boost vibrancy within the development and make the Tianjin Eco-city more appealing to work and live in.
Improving transport connectivity is another key task. It now takes about one and a half hours to travel from Tianjin city to the Tianjin Eco-city project. Two rail lines are scheduled to begin construction by the end of the year, and when that is completed in several years, travel time would be reduced by about an hour.
The Eco-city currently houses more than 10,000 residents.
When the project is completed around 2020, the target is to have a population of 350,000, who will ideally become champions of green living.
