On the afternoon of 14 December 2025, Tan Kiat How, Senior Minister of State for Digital Development and Information and concurrently Senior Minister of State for Health and Tan Hai Chuan, Ambassador of the Republic of Singapore to the People's Republic of China led a delegation on a visit to the National University of Singapore Research Institute in Chongqing (NUSRI-CQ). The visit aimed to chart the course for deepening collaborative development between China and Singapore in scientific innovation, educational cooperation, technology transfer and other key areas. Mr George Loh, NUS Vice Provost (Academic Affairs), and Professor John Wang ,Director of NUSRI-CQ, accompanied the delegation throughout the visit.

The delegation was briefed comprehensively on the full-cycle outcomes of NUSRI-CQ's Phase I development, and offered high praise for RI's achievements as a benchmark project under the China-Singapore (Chongqing) Demonstration Initiative on Strategic Connectivity. As a pivotal platform for scientific and technological collaboration between Chongqing and Singapore, NUSRI-CQ has delivered remarkable results since its inauguration: securing 2 projects funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China and 12 by the Chongqing Natural Science Foundation, filing over 30 patents of various types; facilitating the commercialization of 20 cutting-edge technological achievements, incubating 45 high-potential tech startups with core competitiveness, and nurturing more than 100 high-caliber doctoral talents. It has built notable technological advantages in strategic emerging sectors such as advanced manufacturing and artificial intelligence, injecting NUS's intellectual strengths into the high-quality industrial development of Chongqing.


At the Achievement Exhibition Hall, the delegation focused on key exhibits in artificial intelligence, bio materials, and life sciences, commending the institute's breakthroughs in critical technology research. During an interactive session with students from the Steer Project, Minister Tan Kiat how engaged in a warm exchange about their academic and research progress, encouraging them to leverage the complementary resources of Chongqing and Singapore, deepen their expertise, and strive to become international innovative talents bridging China and Singapore.


At the subsequent symposium, both parties conducted in-depth discussions on NUSRI-CQ's Phase II development blueprint and reached extensive consensus. Phase II will focus on priority areas including New Materials and Intelligent Manufacturing, New Energy, and Life Sciences, further strengthen Enterprise-Education-Research integration, and build a complete innovation chain spanning basic research, technology development, and industrialization.


Minister Tan Kiat how emphasized that NUSRI-CQ has established a solid bridge for talent exchange and technology sharing between China and Singapore, injecting robust impetus into bilateral cooperation. He affirmed that Singapore will continue to enhance support and drive the partnership toward greater depth and broader scope. Professor John Wang noted that NUSRI-CQ will fully leverage NUS's global educational and research resources to align precisely with Chongqing's industrial upgrading needs.

This visit has energized the development of NUSRI-CQ and opened up broader prospects for China-Singapore cooperation in science and technology innovation. Moving forward, NUSRI-CQ will take this visit as a catalyst to further deepen Chongqing-Singapore collaborative innovation, contributing more significantly to regional economic development and win-win cooperation between the two countries.