Capitalise on Poland's and Singapore's hub statuses: President Tharman
SINGAPORE - Poland and Singapore are hubs in their respective regions, and more can be done to explore business opportunities between them, said President Tharman Shanmugaratnam on June 12.
He was speaking at a state banquet held in honour of Polish President Andrzej Duda and his wife, First Lady Agata Kornhauser-Duda, at Goodwood Park Hotel. Mr Duda is in Singapore on a three-day state visit from June 11 to 13.
Poland is Singapore's 13th largest trading partner in the European Union. In 2024, total bilateral trade in goods stood at $1.7 billion. Bilateral trade in both goods and services has grown by almost 50 per cent since 2019, off the back of the EU-Singapore Free Trade Agreement.
'There is much more we can do to capitalise on each other's roles as hubs within our respective regions,' Mr Tharman said.
He noted Poland's position as one of Europe's most dynamic logistics hubs, given its strategic location between Western and Eastern Europe, Scandinavia and the Balkans.
'Equally, a combination of brain power, hard work and entrepreneurship has made Poland one of the fastest-growing economies over the last quarter-century,' he said, adding that Singapore companies are starting to recognise this potential.
He cited the example of port operator PSA International making a landmark investment in 2019 to jointly acquire 100 per cent in DCT Gdansk – the largest container terminal in Poland and the Baltic Sea region, and the company's first investment in Eastern Europe.
Polish companies are already using the Republic as a springboard to the broader Asia-Pacific region, he added. 'We welcome them to explore opportunities in Singapore in areas like logistics, advanced manufacturing and offshore wind.'
Mr Tharman also spoke of collaboration in areas such as food exports to Singapore, saying these represent a business opportunity for Polish producers and allow Singapore to diversify its supplies and 'enjoy a taste of Poland'.
Poland has been approved as a source of beef, poultry and eggs by the Singapore Food Agency.
He added that the countries' relations are 'anchored by strong people-to-people ties', noting that three Singapore universities have signed student exchange agreements with six Polish institutions.
Mr Duda said Singapore has long been a key regional partner for Poland and a 'symbol of modernity, bold thinking and determination in action'.
'We admire Singapore's consistency in striving for excellence – in the economy, in education and in building a society based on the principles of tolerance, responsibility and discipline,' he added. 'Your success proves that the greatness of a country is not measured by its size, but by the wisdom of its people and the strength of its values.'
Mr Tharman quoted a Polish saying that translates to 'grain by grain, the measure will be filled', meaning that a meaningful relationship will be built, step by step.
He said: 'That epitomises the way we bring about our strategic relationship and the way we're going about our partnership as two countries. Your visit underlines our commitment to set higher ambitions for our partnership now and into the future.'
After a visit to technology and engineering group ST Engineering earlier in the day on June 12, Mr Duda received a ceremonial welcome at Parliament House and made a courtesy call on Mr Tharman.
Both presidents discussed the significant potential growth in ties between Singapore and Poland, said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) in a statement.
The discussion revolved around port and logistics development, agri-food exports to Singapore, as well as sustainable energy, digital trade, research and development, and education.
The leaders also encouraged businesses to explore investment opportunities in each other's countries, and discussed global geopolitical and security developments.
Mr Duda and First Lady Kornhauser-Duda also visited the National Orchid Garden on June 12, where a new orchid hybrid was named in their honour.
On June 13, Mr Duda will meet Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and attend the Singapore-Poland Business Forum. The forum is jointly organised by the Embassy of the Republic of Poland, the Polish Investment and Trade Agency, and the Singapore Business Federation.
This is Mr Duda's first visit to the Republic since taking office in 2015. His second five-year term as president concludes in August.
A new Polish president is set to take office in early August, after historian Karol Nawrocki won the Polish presidential election on June 2.
Anjali Raguraman is a correspondent at The Straits Times. She covers politics, as well as consumer stories spanning tourism, retail and F&B.
Source: The Straits Times © SPH Media Limited. Permission required for reproduction
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