TIANJIN - AFTER 17 months of painstaking preparation and planning, Singapore and China yesterday began construction of their flagship eco-city, with a ground-breaking ceremony attended by top leaders from both countries.

Singapore's Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong and Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao were at the event to launch the project, which both sides hope will show the way forward for other environmentally-friendly cities in China.

The development of the city will be overseen by the Sino-Singapore Tianjin Eco-City Investment and Development Company, a 50-50 joint venture between a Chinese consortium led by Tianjin TEDA Investment Holding Company and a Singapore group led by the Keppel Group.

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