By Leslie Koh

IN THE south-western Chinese province of Sichuan, Singapore companies have built up a reputation for their innovations.

Real estate developer CapitaLand, for instance, is building an earthquake-resistant condo, the first of its kind in the city, where memories of last year's massive May 12 earthquake that killed more than 80,000 in Sichuan province are still vivid.

Another Singapore company, the YCH Group, has set up a state-of-the-art modern supply network - also a first in the city - that can store and distribute cold products like ice cream efficiently.

The logistics company even managed to convince the city to make an exception to the usual restrictions on the movement of heavy trucks, and allow its 400 GPS-equipped refrigerated trucks to enter the city centre.

Minister Lim Swee Say credited the success of such companies to the Singapore brand name, which he said has come to stand for quality in the south-western province.

'This Singapore brand name is a very positive one in China. In Jiangsu, we have a Singapore industrial park,' he said. 'In Tianjin, we have an eco-city. In Guangdong, we have a knowledge city - all Singaporean brand names.'
Singapore's reputation for doing it different and doing it better, he added, has also widened the scope of business opportunities for home-grown companies interested in Sichuan.

Mr Lim, who is Minister in the Prime Minister's Office, had just returned from a four-day visit to Sichuan where he led a business mission and also attended the 10th Western China Fair.

As adviser to the Singapore-Sichuan Trade and Investment Committee, he has observed the progress of Singapore companies in the south-western province since it opened up to foreign investment 10 years ago.

The Republic was the third-largest investor in the province last year, pumping in US$282 million (S$392 million). In the first half of the year, it invested US$120 million.

In all, Singapore has invested some US$1.1 billion over the past 10 years or so.

Still, more opportunities abound for Singapore companies, said Mr Lim at a wrap-up interview he gave to the media in Singapore on Tuesday.

There are three areas, he said, where home-grown companies could use their well-known expertise to enter Sichuan: upgrading the province's manufacturing industry and processes, building up modern services, and helping Chinese firms reach out to the world.

Among other things, there are opportunities for Singapore companies to build much-needed logistic and transport networks, set up banking services and act as a gateway for Chinese enterprises who wanted to export to South-east Asia.

'Our companies can contribute to the upgrading of their economic capabilities and, at the same time, take advantage of the growing markets in western China,' he said.

But Singapore firms have to act fast if they want to beat the crowd.

This article was first published in The Straits Times.