Tatarstan President meets with Minister of Trade and Industry of the Republic of Singapore

On May 31, in the Kazan Kremlin, Tatarstan President Rustam Minnikhanov had a meeting with Minister of Trade and Industry of the Republic of Singapore Koh Poh Koon.

In his welcoming speech, Minnikhanov noted that Singapore is an example of intensive development for Tatarstan. "A lot of changes that have taken place in our republic are due to the experience and the processes that we saw in your country. It was important for us to show our ministers, heads of administrations, that with systematic work you can change the country in 50 years," he said.

According to Minnikhanov, long years of friendship and cooperation have bound Tatarstan and Singapore, the republic attaches great importance to the development of cooperation with the Asian partner. "We have paid a lot of mutual visits recently. I have met with the distinguished Lee Kuan Yew - the first Prime Minister of Singapore several times. We had the honour to accept him in our republic in 2007. I have visited your country during the Russian-Singaporean business forums many times. Members of the Government of the Republic of Singapore have also visited Tatarstan. We have the signed documents in such fields as education, trade development,” Tatarstan President said.

Minnikhanov thanked the Singaporean colleagues for their support in the establishment and development of the Innopolis project, the training and professional development of management personnel. Tatarstan President told the guests about the potential of the republic, as a region with a diversified economy and successfully implemented investment projects. According to him, the republic should become a gateway to the entry of an intensively developing Singaporean business into the Russian market. Another important fact is that more than 50 per cent of the products produced in Tatarstan is exported.

Koh Poh Koon noted positive dynamics of development. As an example, he cited the city of Innopolis. "I had the opportunity to see the city and how much success it has achieved since 2013, when it was just a field, and now this place has beautiful buildings, a wonderful University of Innopolis, a lot of young people who are developing their start-ups, searching and developing innovations," the Minister said.

According to Koh Poh Koon, Singaporean business is interested in the development of its projects in Tatarstan.

"Tatarstan is always focused on the future, it is the leading republic of Russia, with a very diversified economy that does not depend on oil and gas, but is focused on more advanced branches of industry, including aircraft production, engineering, shipbuilding, and we believe that here we can help each other in strengthening economic positions,”the Minister of Trade and Industry of Singapore summed up.