Czech companies in the delegation of the Speaker of the Czech Chamber of Deputies aimed at new partnerships in Singapore
22.10.2024 / 09:40 | Aktualizováno: 22.10.2024 / 09:51
The delegation of the Chamber of Commerce accompanying Mrs Markéta Pekarová Adamová, the Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies of the Parliament of the Czech Republic, during her official visit to Singapore from 6 to 8 October 2024, had a rich programme aimed at promoting the development of cooperation between Czech and Singaporean companies in areas such as IT, engineering, HR and logistics and at deepening mutual business relations with an emphasis on technology and innovation.
The programme of the delegation reflected the priority areas of the mission, with one of the main objectives being to present Czechia as a promising business partner. Singapore's economy is known for its stability, openness and emphasis on technological development, which makes it an attractive partner for Czech companies. The meetings that were part of the joint programme were designed to introduce the delegation to important institutions, organisations and key players in the Singaporean business environment.
The first item on the agenda was a visit to the Economic Development Board (EDB), a Singaporean government agency responsible for attracting foreign companies to the country. The meeting with the EDB provided the delegation with valuable information about Singapore as not only a regional but also a global business hub: EDB representatives particularly emphasised the importance of technology, innovation and efficient processes. The Czech delegation was thus able to get a better idea of how the Singaporean economy works and how to enter the local market.
Another important meeting took place with the Association of Employment Agencies of Singapore. Given the low unemployment in Singapore and the high demand for skilled labour, the human resource management system in this country is very well organised. Participants learned about the conditions of employment of foreign workers, not only in terms of visa policy but also in terms of the overall labour market rules, and were able to prepare themselves for both entering the market as well as forming partnerships for mutual exchange of employees.
Technology and innovation also played an important role during the visit of SG Tech, the technology association of Singapore. The city-state is one of the leading technology hubs, so at this meeting the Czech delegation was introduced to representatives from various sectors who shared current trends and opportunities for collaboration in areas such as artificial intelligence (AI), digitisation, HR and manufacturing technologies. It was highlighted to Czech companies that Singapore offers attractive opportunities for innovation and technology-driven companies, and the meeting opened up new avenues for establishing cooperation in these sectors.
As part of the programme, a representative from Skoda Digital, a „smart cities“ technology company, met with the Land Transport Authority to explore the future development of transport and infrastructure projects in Singapore. The Vice-Chancellor of Charles University met with the management of two of Singapore's most important universities - the National University of Singapore (NUS) and Nanyang Technological University (NTU) with the aim of deepening cooperation between Czech and Singaporean educational institutions, particularly in the field of research and innovation, as well as student exchanges.
The visit of the Chamber of Commerce delegation to Singapore was a unique opportunity to establish new contacts and cooperation between Czech and Singaporean companies and institutions. The island state proved to be not only a promising partner, but also a country with a strong emphasis on technological progress, innovation and effective human resource management. This visit therefore clearly contributed to expanding the awareness of Czech companies in Singapore and opened the way to new opportunities that may be crucial for the further development of Czech exports and investments in the Southeast Asian region.