Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) was signed by 15 Asia-Pacific countries at the end of last year, 2021 which brought about many new changes and business opportunities to the global economy, especially the 10 ASEAN countries.

Even as COVID-19 is still lingering, trade in stone materials between China and ASEAN countries remains active. China’s imports of stone materials from ASEAN have increased by more than 50 per cent for the fourth consecutive year. At the same time, Chinese companies in stone materials are also increasing their ASEAN investments, cooperation in mining, as well as stone processing and technical equipment are deepening.

With the booming ASEAN economy, there will be more opportunities for the stone materials industry.

The Yunfu city is just 140 km from Guangzhou and is one of the cities in the city of Guangzhou in the Pearl River Delta. It is rich in mining resources, and stone is the main pillar industry of the city. It has always been known as a “stone city” and enjoys many good reputations such as “stone culture”, “China’s Model Stone circulation base”, “China’s stone construction capital”, “China’s Stone Base Centre” and “Land of Stone Sculpture Art”.

In recent years, the company supplied a lot of stone to high-rise buildings, gardens, and public facilities. With the strong promotion of green buildings and sustainable green building materials in Singapore, the “artificial stone” produced by the company will have many opportunities to be widely used in future.

Singapore is a small country with a population of 5.6 million and a land area of 720 square kilometers. However, with its excellent geographical location and stable political situation, it is a major financial and port center in the world and is still the largest investor country in China. Singapore can be used as a stronghold by the floating power to expand the ASEAN market, allowing both sides to complement each other’s strengths offering deep cooperation in resources, capital, technology and management to jointly explore the third market.

Lastly, congratulations on the establishment of the RCEP Stone Industry Cooperation Committees, and I hope that under the leadership of the respective committees, a platform will be set up for all parties in the stone industry to further promote exchanges and cooperation in the RCEP regional stone industry and its development.

Thank You!