Transcript of Special Remarks by Senior Minister of State in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Home Affairs Sim Ann at the Opening Ceremony of the Green Future Innovation Challenge, Shenzhen

Excellencies

Distinguished Guests

Ladies and Gentlemen

1 It is my pleasure to join you here today for the inaugural Green Future Innovation Challenge (GFIC). I would like to thank Temasek Foundation and Vertex Ventures China for convening this meaningful gathering of innovators who are committed to building a more sustainable future, and also to the Shenzhen Municipal Government authorities, particularly from the Nanshan district, for hosting this very meaningful event. It is especially fitting that we gather here in Shenzhen – a city that has long stood at the frontier of change, where creativity finds expression and where new possibilities take root.

2 The GFIC is a premier green climate-tech platform designed to connect global innovators working on solutions that can be commercialised, scaled, and brought into the real economy. As a Public-Private-Philanthropic partnership catalysed by Temasek Foundation, it reflects the belief that climate action requires the combined strengths of policy, enterprise, and purpose-driven philanthropy. That belief is clearly shared. The GFIC, which was launched in April this year drew more than 1000 innovators from nearly 70 countries – a reminder that the search for sustainable solutions is a global endeavour, and that people from around the world are ready to contribute their ideas, expertise, and imagination. 

Bilateral Relations

3 This year, Singapore and China mark 35 years of diplomatic relations. Prime Minister Lawrence Wong made his first Official Visit to China in June, where he met President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang. In October, Premier Li visited Singapore for his first Official Visit. These exchanges reaffirmed the value both sides placed on high-level regular, open, and constructive dialogue. Our leaders also agreed to build on our “All-Round High-Quality Future-Oriented Partnership”, recognising that the next phase of cooperation must address the major shifts underway in the digital and green economies.

4 During Premier Li’s visit to Singapore in October, both sides announced the establishment of our new national Green and Digital Shipping Corridor. This builds on our earlier corridors in Tianjin and Shandong, and reflect our commitment to make maritime trade cleaner, smarter, and more efficient. In the green economy, our strengths also align naturally. China’s capabilities in renewable energy, hydrogen, carbon solutions, and advanced manufacturing complement Singapore’s role as a trusted hub for green finance, connectivity, and innovation.

GFIC

5 These shared strengths form the backdrop for initiatives like the GFIC. National strategies ultimately rely on the creativity of innovators, the knowledge and insight of researchers, and the willingness of enterprises to pioneer new approaches. The GFIC brings these actors together – making it a useful and timely complement to our broader bilateral cooperation in clean energy and sustainable development.

6 Within this broader landscape, the GFIC plays a practical and enabling role. It provides early-stage ideas with room to grow, be tested, and strengthened. It brings people together who might not otherwise meet, creating the conditions for new partnerships to form. Hosting this in Shenzhen gives it added meaning. Shenzhen’s pioneering electrification of public busses and taxis, its growing climate-tech ecosystem, and its everyday embrace of innovation make it a living example of what a low-carbon urban future can look like.

7 China’s broader efforts in green development – from renewable energy to electric mobility and low-carbon industries – have made a meaningful contribution to global sustainability. They demonstrate that economic progress and environmental responsibility can reinforce one another. Here in Shenzhen, that spirit is unmistakable. It shows how thoughtful policy, entrepreneurship, and technological innovation can come together to expand the frontier of possibility – not just in concept, but in the lived experience of its peoples. It is therefore no surprise that three of today’s 10 GFIC finalists come from Shenzhen. Their achievements speak to the city’s talent, its openness to new ideas, and its confidence in a greener future.

The Road Ahead

8 Climate change recognises no borders. Our responses must therefore reach across borders as well. What we see at the GFIC – collaboration across countries, sectors, and communities – is exactly the kind of partnership that can drive meaningful progress. Singapore looks forward to deepening our cooperation with China, with Shenzhen, and with all partners gathered here today. Together, we can help build a greener, more resilient, and more sustainable future for our countries, the region, and beyond.

9 This year’s finalists present solutions across four key domains – energy transition, industrial decarbonisation, sustainable agriculture, and pollution reduction. Their proposals are imaginative, grounded, and shaped by a genuine desire to contribute to the global climate agenda.

10 I wish all our finalists every success. I look forward to seeing your ideas grow, take root, and make a lasting impact in the years ahead.

11 Thank you.

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