China and Singapore
Singapore connects businesses, capital and logistics routes with China. The relationship combines joint industrial projects, financial services and administrative cooperation, without being a military alliance.
Analysis reviewed: 2026-10-07 · Indicators updated: 2026-10-07A relationship organised through specific projects
Diplomatic ties began in 1990, and the partnership was expanded in 2023.
Services, investment and Singapore's connecting role
The free trade agreement entered into force in 2009.
Bilateral indicators
Blank cells: data unavailable.
| Indicator | Value | Period |
|---|---|---|
| Goods trade | 119,603.54 M USD | 2025 · UN Comtrade / CHN |
| Goods: China to Singapore | 83,014.65 M USD | 2025 · UN Comtrade / CHN |
| Goods: Singapore to China | 36,588.88 M USD | 2025 · UN Comtrade / CHN |
| Services trade | ||
| Export share: China to Singapore | 2.2 % | 2025 · UN Comtrade / CHN |
| Export share: Singapore to China | ||
| Investment stock: China in Singapore | ||
| Investment stock: Singapore in China |
Definitions and sources
Trade adds both directions. Shares refer to the country’s total goods exports; investment is an accumulated stock, not an annual flow. Every figure retains the currency and period of its source. BEA positions are historical-cost estimates based on the immediate counterpart, not market values or investment by ultimate owner. ‘More than’ indicates a lower bound, not an exact amount. A recorded stock does not establish new activity or authorisation to operate under sanctions.
- Goods trade
- 2025 · UN Comtrade / CHN · Goods; full year; CHN reporter. Exports normally FOB and imports CIF according to the reporter's coverage. No addition of mirror reports.
- Goods: China to Singapore
- 2025 · UN Comtrade / CHN · Goods; full year; CHN reporter. Exports normally FOB and imports CIF according to the reporter's coverage. No addition of mirror reports.
- Goods: Singapore to China
- 2025 · UN Comtrade / CHN · Goods; full year; CHN reporter. Exports normally FOB and imports CIF according to the reporter's coverage. No addition of mirror reports.
- Export share: China to Singapore
- 2025 · UN Comtrade / CHN · Goods share: CHN exports to the partner / the same reporter's exports to the world, same year.
Country comparison
Period and source beside each figure · est. = estimate by the stated institution.
| Indicator | China | Singapore |
|---|---|---|
| Nominal GDP | 19.5 trillion USD2025 · WB | 603.87 billion USD2025 · WB |
| GDP per capita | 13,861.97 USD2025 · WB | 98,813.98 USD2025 · WB |
| GDP growth | 4.96 %2025 · WB | 5.03 %2025 · WB |
| Policy interest rate | 1.4 %2026-09-24 · PBoC | |
| Inflation · annual average | 0.06 %Annual average · 2025 · WB | 0.9 %Annual average · 2025 · WB |
| Inflation · latest year-on-year figure | 0.8 %Year-on-year · Aug. 2026 · NBS China | |
| Unemployment | 4.62 %ILO est.2025 · WB | 2.82 %ILO est.2025 · WB |
| Budget balance (% of GDP) | -7.9 %IMF est.2025 · IMF | 4.2 %IMF est.2025 · IMF |
| Gross public debt (% of GDP) | 99.2 %IMF est.2025 · IMF | 171.3 %IMF est.2025 · IMF |
| Current account balance (% of GDP) | 3.77 %2025 · WB | 16.71 %2025 · WB |
| Population | 1,406,585,0002025 · WB | 6,111,1752025 · WB |
| Area | 9,562,910 km²2023 · BM / FAO | 728 km²2023 · WB |
| Military expenditure | ||
| Military expenditure (% of GDP) |
Definitions, dates and sources
Blank cells are not zero. Average annual inflation and the latest year-on-year figure appear in separate rows: they are not the same measure. Every annual indicator retains its reference year; when the years differ, the figures are identified as not directly comparable. When a figure is unavailable from the World Bank, an annual IMF estimate is used and identified as such. The latest year-on-year figure is the latest official release verified as of 7 October 2026. This includes advance releases marked as provisional. Mexico may have a fortnightly figure before the full month is published; it is not automatically compared with a monthly figure. The publication date is retained in each source’s details; it does not replace the observation period or the annual average. Policy rates carry their own dates and represent different instruments. Spain and France share the ECB rate. Balances are positive for surpluses and negative for deficits. The IMF may use fiscal years; unemployment retains each source’s definition (ILO estimates, IMF WEO or PCBS), as stated in the details. For Palestine, debt and the fiscal balance cover central government and retain the PCBS definition; they are not presented as consolidated general government. These are economic magnitudes, not measures of relationship quality.
Area retains each source’s territorial coverage; it does not determine sovereignty or effective control. Canada uses an archived national geographic reference. Military expenditure retains the 2024 SIPRI sample distributed by the World Bank: the amount and percentage of GDP use that same definition, which differs from NATO’s. It is not an approved budget or a 2026 figure. Information from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). Military expenditure database · Terms of use0
Indicators reviewed: 2026-10-07. Each source retains its original access date; this review does not turn all the data into 2026 observations. Figures may be revised.
- Nominal GDP
- Current USDChina: 2025 · World BankSingapore: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
- GDP per capita
- Current USD per personChina: 2025 · World BankSingapore: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
- GDP growth
- Annual real change (%)China: 2025 · World BankSingapore: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
- Policy interest rate
- Central bank instrument (%)China: 2026-09-24 · PBoC: 7-day reverse repo · People’s Bank of China · Published: 2026-09-24 · Rate of the official operation consulted, not the mortgage LPR or the PSL lending rate. Subsequent operations with zero volume are not converted into a 0% interest rate.
- Inflation · annual average
- Average annual change in headline CPI (%)China: 2025 · Average annual CPI change (%) · World BankSingapore: 2025 · Annual average change in the CPI (%) · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
- Inflation · latest year-on-year figure
- Headline CPI relative to the same period of the previous year (%); monthly or fortnightly frequency statedChina: 2026-08 · Headline CPI change relative to the same month of the previous year (%) · National Bureau of Statistics of China · Published: 2026-09-09 · National headline year-on-year CPI, not monthly inflation or an annual average.
- Unemployment
- % of the labour force; definition used by the stated institutionChina: 2025 · World Bank · ILO est.Singapore: 2025 · ILO modelled estimate; percentage of the labour force · World Bank · ILO est. · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
- Budget balance
- General government (% of GDP)China: 2025 · IMF — World Economic Outlook · IMF est.Singapore: 2025 · IMF · IMF est. · WEO general-government estimate, % of GDP. Not an observed balance for the current month.
- Gross public debt
- General government (% of GDP)China: 2025 · IMF — World Economic Outlook · IMF est.Singapore: 2025 · IMF · IMF est. · WEO general-government estimate, % of GDP. Not an observed balance for the current month.
- Current account balance
- % of GDPChina: 2025 · World BankSingapore: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
- Population
- PeopleChina: 2025 · World BankSingapore: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
- Area
- Total area in km²; territorial coverage of the sourceChina: 2023 · Total area including inland waters; territorial coverage of the source · World Bank · FAOSingapore: 2023 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
- Military expenditure
- Current USD per year; SIPRI series
- Military expenditure (% of GDP)
- Percentage of GDP; SIPRI definition, not NATO’s definition
Other data specific to this relationship
What they buy and sell
Documented selection, not an exhaustive list. Cells without a figure do not mean zero value; some products are identified without a verified amount.
China to Singapore
| Product or sector | Value / share |
|---|---|
| Electrical and electronic equipment | 17,701.7 M USD2025 · Source |
| Machinery and mechanical appliances | 10,966.2 M USD2025 · Source |
| Mineral fuels and oils | 6,950.2 M USD2025 · Source |
| Land vehicles and components | 1,279.7 M USD2025 · Source |
Singapore to China
| Product or sector | Value / share |
|---|---|
| Electrical and electronic equipment | 12,887.7 M USD2025 · Source |
| Machinery and mechanical appliances | 9,544.9 M USD2025 · Source |
| Mineral fuels and oils | 2,492.5 M USD2025 · Source |
| Land vehicles and components | 6.8 M USD2025 · Source |
How trade has changed
Billions of current USD · full calendar years
View chart figures
| Period | Total | China to Singapore | Singapore to China |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 92,853.6 | 54,069.8 | 38,783.8 |
| 2022 | 115,126 | 81,167.6 | 33,958.4 |
| 2023 | 108,382.4 | 76,945.4 | 31,437 |
| 2024 | 110,993.8 | 79,099.8 | 31,894 |
| 2025 | 119,603.5 | 83,014.7 | 36,588.9 |
Connections between people
Universities, short-term visa-free travel and exchanges of officials connect the societies. Transit or traveller figures must not be confused with the resident population. [4] [2]
Residents, study and travel
Blank cells: data unavailable. Each measure retains its definition and period.
| Indicator | Value | Period / source |
|---|---|---|
| Residents from China living in Singapore | ||
| Residents from Singapore living in China | ||
| Study and training: China in Singapore | ||
| Study and training: Singapore in China | ||
| Academic stays: China in Singapore | ||
| Academic stays: Singapore in China | ||
| Travel: China to SingaporeArrivals from mainland China; rounded figure | ≈3.100.000arrivalsestimate | 2025 · Singapore Tourism Board |
| Travel: Singapore to China |
What each figure measures
Residents are counted by nationality and the coverage of the stated register, not as people born in the other country or as new arrivals in one year. PERE includes dual nationals and people born outside Spain. Study with OPT and stays carrying academic credit are different measures. Travel may include several visits by the same person; FRONTUR arrivals require an overnight stay, whereas the Canadian survey includes day visits. These figures are neither added together nor automatically compared across directions.
- Travel: China to Singapore
- 3.1 million arrivals across all of 2025. The title concerns nine months of receipts, but the arrivals paragraph covers the full year. 2025 · Singapore Tourism Board
Mobility data added or reviewed: 2026-10-07. Reference periods may be earlier.
Underlying ties
History, institutions and long-standing issues.
A relationship organised through specific projects
Diplomatic ties began in 1990, and the partnership was expanded in 2023. Beyond their official names, cooperation has recognisable institutions: the Suzhou Industrial Park, the Tianjin Eco-City and the Chongqing Connectivity Initiative. They enable collaboration on urban management, industry and market access. The Joint Council for Bilateral Cooperation brings together senior officials and oversees these platforms; contacts also include training for officials and discussions on governance. This architecture explains the relationship's continuing activity between administrations and businesses, rather than just occasional meetings between leaders. [1] [2]
Services, investment and Singapore's connecting role
The free trade agreement entered into force in 2009. Its latest upgrade began to apply on 31 December 2024, with greater openness and transparency in services and investment and a dedicated telecommunications chapter. Singapore also serves as a financial and logistics connection with Southeast Asia. December 2025 brought announcements of DBS's appointment as the second renminbi clearing bank in Singapore and a digital yuan payment pilot for travellers. These measures facilitate specific transactions; they do not mean that all bilateral transactions use Chinese currency or that regulatory controls disappear. [3] [2]
Visas, universities and short-term travel
The reciprocal visa exemption for ordinary passport holders entered into force on 9 February 2024 and permits stays of up to thirty days. It is not permission to settle or work indefinitely. Universities maintain teaching and research agreements: the December 2025 council announced collaborations between Singaporean institutions and the universities of Beijing, Shanghai, Fudan and Zhejiang. Exchanges include youth, sport and health. Easier travel supports business and family contacts, while residence permits and professional activity remain subject to their own requirements. [4] [2]
The scale of the two economies
China's reference nominal GDP is 19,498 billion USD in 2025, compared with 603.9 in 2025 for Singapore. The reference populations are 1,406.59 million (2025) and 6.11 million (2025), respectively. In the same year, China's nominal GDP was 32.29 times Singapore's. These figures contextualise market size; they do not by themselves describe well-being, individual wealth or political influence. IMF estimates or population extrapolations retain their labels in the table. No ratio is calculated when periods do not match. [6] [7] [8] [9]
Recent developments
Recent developments and latest available data · Reviewed: 2026-10-07
The December 2025 council agenda
The council held in Chongqing announced twenty-seven agreements and memoranda, including digital, financial, health and university cooperation. The Chongqing initiative seeks to connect western China with Southeast Asia through combined transport, customs and services. Singapore reaffirmed its one-China policy, and participants discussed geopolitical uncertainty and the energy transition. The announcements describe areas of work and cooperation mechanisms, not already measured economic results. Relevant follow-up will concern actual use of these corridors and agreements, their effects on businesses and the continuity of institutional exchanges. [2] [1]
Observed economic exchange
In 2025, recorded goods trade between China and Singapore totalled 119,603.5 million USD. Shipments from China to Singapore were 83,014.7 million USD; those in the reverse direction were 36,588.9 million USD. China's shipments to the partner represented 2.2% of its goods exports to the world, using the same year and reporter. A single customs reporting source is used for both directions. This annual flow does not include all services activity or affiliates' local sales and is not added to accumulated investment capital. [5]
Mobility and communities: documented figures
The published figure for China in Singapore is ≈3,100,000 arrivals (2025). Arrivals from mainland China; rounded figure. 3.1 million arrivals across all of 2025. The title concerns nine months of receipts, but the arrivals paragraph covers the full year. [10]
Milestones and consequences
- 1990
Establishment of relations
The modern diplomatic relationship begins. [1]
- 2023
Expansion of the partnership
The governments formalise a broader partnership. [1]
- 2024-02-09
Visa exemption
Reciprocal short stays of up to thirty days. [4]
- 2024-12-31
New trade upgrade
Services, investment and telecommunications are modernised. [3]
- 2025-12-15
Council in Chongqing
Twenty-seven cooperation instruments are announced. [2]
Sources and data
Periods and scope of the figures
Each figure retains its period, unit, definition and source. Announcements, contracts and results are not interchangeable. Empty cells do not mean zero. Customs data for 2025 are not presented as activity observed during later crises.
- 2023 bilateral partnership
Prime Minister’s Office Singapore · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- December 2025 bilateral council
Singapore MFA · Institutional source · Document: 2025-12-15 · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- Entry into force of the trade upgrade
Singapore MTI · Institutional source · Document: 2024-12-30 · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- Reciprocal thirty-day visa exemption
Singapore ICA · Institutional source · Document: 2024-01-25 · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- Annual TOTAL X/M; 2025; reporter 156; partners 0,554,702,458,764,404
UN Comtrade / CHN · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- Official statistics
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-09-17
- NY.GDP.MKTP.CD; ISO and reference year; no military dataset expansion
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- Official statistics
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-06
- SP.POP.TOTL; ISO and reference year; no military dataset expansion
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- Release 3 February 2026; visitor arrivals full calendar 2025 (not Jan–Sep receipts)
Singapore Tourism Board · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- HS2 84; 2025; reporter 156; partners 554,702,458,764,404; X/M; annual goods
UN Comtrade / CHN · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- HS2 85; 2025; reporter 156; partners 554,702,458,764,404; X/M; annual goods
UN Comtrade / CHN · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- HS2 27; 2025; reporter 156; partners 554,702,458,764,404; X/M; annual goods
UN Comtrade / CHN · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- HS2 87; 2025; reporter 156; partners 554,702,458,764,404; X/M; annual goods
UN Comtrade / CHN · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
Additional sources on products and human connections
- UN Comtrade / CHN
2026-10-07 · Accessed: 2026-10-07 · HS2 84; 2025; reporter 156; partners 554,702,458,764,404; X/M; annual goods.
- UN Comtrade / CHN
2026-10-07 · Accessed: 2026-10-07 · HS2 85; 2025; reporter 156; partners 554,702,458,764,404; X/M; annual goods.
- UN Comtrade / CHN
2026-10-07 · Accessed: 2026-10-07 · HS2 27; 2025; reporter 156; partners 554,702,458,764,404; X/M; annual goods.
- UN Comtrade / CHN
2026-10-07 · Accessed: 2026-10-07 · HS2 87; 2025; reporter 156; partners 554,702,458,764,404; X/M; annual goods.