Singapore and the Netherlands marked 60 years of diplomatic relations with a high-level meeting and celebration event held in Singapore last Monday.
Minister-in-charge of Trade Relations Grace Fu met with the Netherlands’ Minister of Economic Affairs Dirk Beljaarts during his official visit to the Republic.
Both leaders reaffirmed the strong and long standing bilateral ties between the two countries, and explored new areas for collaboration particularly in innovation, technology, and investment.
To commemorate the milestone, Minister Fu and Minister Beljaarts attended a Showcase Celebration organised by the Embassy of the Netherlands. The event highlighted successful partnerships between Dutch and Singaporean companies in key sectors such as engineering, industrial solutions, and high-tech innovation.
Attendees included government officials, industry leaders, and entrepreneurs from both nations.
According to Minister Fu, the 60 years of diplomatic relations are underpinned by shared values and a commitment to open, rules- based trade.
“The presence of Dutch companies across various industries in Singapore reflects our complementary strengths in areas like maritime, agri-tech innovation, semiconductors and other advanced sectors,” he added.
The Netherlands is currently Singapore’s largest EU investor, with nearly 2,000 Dutch companies operating locally. At the same time, the Netherlands is Singapore’s second-largest investment destination within the EU, with total investments exceeding S$80 billion.
A joint statement issued by both ministers emphasized future-focused cooperation in emerging areas such as digitalisation, agri-tech, and maritime technology. Both countries also aim to enhance collaboration in semiconductors and deepen ties between their technology and innovation ecosystems.
The ministers noted that as like-minded and trusted partners, Singapore and the Netherlands are well-positioned to address global challenges and unlock new opportunities for their businesses and people driving sustainable growth and shared prosperity for years to come.
Shahriena Shukri is a journalist covering business and economic news in Malaysia, providing insights on market trends, corporate developments, and financial policies. More about Shahriena Shukri.
