Chin Siat Yoon
Former Singapore Ambassador to ChinaMr Chin Siat Yoon is Singapore’s longest-serving ambassador to China. During his 14-year tenure from 1998 to 2012, he was instrumental in establishing the Joint Council for Bilateral Cooperation (JCBC), the apex platform for bilateral collaboration, and in guiding the Suzhou Industrial Park through its early challenges to become Singapore’s first flagship government-to-government project with China. He was instrumental in advancing the landmark China-Singapore Free Trade Agreement, the first comprehensive FTA between China and an Asian nation, and the launch of the Sino-Singapore Tianjin Eco-City, a model for sustainable urban development. In 2025, he was awarded the Business China Excellence Award.
Articles by Chin Siat Yoon
Politics
Chin Siat Yoon: 14 years on the front lines of Singapore-China diplomacy
Chin Siat Yoon, Singapore’s longest-serving ambassador to China from 1998 to 2012, is the recipient of the 2025 Business China Excellence Award. Reflecting on decades of Singapore-China relations, he recalls early challenges such as the Suzhou Industrial Park issue and shares insights on building lasting cooperation amid today’s shifting global geopolitical landscape. This is an edited version of his speech.
Chin Siat Yoon
03 Oct 2025