S'pore's business community ready for Belt and Road projects

THE Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, held from May 14-15 in Beijing, was a resounding success and has generated wide interest among the business community in Singapore. China's pledge of more than US$100 billion in Belt and Road projects resonated positively with world businesses, notwithstanding differing views in regard to the initiative's outlook.

Singapore has always been a connector - most significantly for trade. Our role in the Maritime Silk Road (MSR) can be traced to the ancient Silk Road. Singapore's strategic location along this trade route led to significant maritime exchanges, as evidenced by extensive archaeological records.

Our continued prosperity depends on continuing to serve as a connector. We are a small country, and therefore throwing our weight on either side of the geopolitical scale does little to tilt the balance. However, as a conduit between larger nations, we make ourselves a vital part of the conversation. We must engage everyone and obstruct no one.