SG Morning Call｜Singapore and China Start 30-Day Visa-Free Travel; MAS Covers Mandatory Third-Party Liability Insurance

Singapore, China to Start 30-Day Visa-Free Travel in Early 2024

Singapore and China are looking to establish a mutual 30-day visa exemption arrangement, as the two nations seek to push travel back to and beyond pre-Covid levels.

According to Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, both countries will work out the implementation details and implement it in early 2024.

People flows between the two countries have been improving, and flight connectivity is approaching pre-Covid levels, said Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong on Thursday (Dec 7) during the 19th Joint Council for Bilateral Cooperation (JCBC) in Tianjin, China.

MAS Seeks Feedback on Moves to Beef up Protection Scheme When an Insurer Fails

The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) is seeking feedback on a set of changes to the policy owners’ protection (PPF) scheme to enhance coverage and improve efficiency of the scheme through a consultation paper published on Thursday (Dec 7).

The changes proposed include extending the scheme to cover mandatory third-party liability insurance that businesses purchase for specified mobility devices such as bicycles, personal mobility devices, power-assisted bicycles, motorised wheelchairs or mobility scooters.

The scheme should also cover personal travel insurance policies issued to corporates as the policy owner, such as an employer, travel agency or credit card company, where payouts are due to individual travellers, said MAS.

Singapore, China Launch New Sustainability Initiatives Under Tianjin Eco-City Bilateral Project

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) will have more opportunities to pilot low-carbon solutions, and a new green and digital shipping corridor will be established between Singapore and Tianjin, among 15 new initiatives launched as part of the Tianjin Eco-City project.

This is under a new project collaboration framework announced on Thursday (Dec 7) at the 15th Sino-Singapore Tianjin Eco-City Joint Steering Council in Tianjin, China.

Tianjin Eco-City was launched in 2008 as the second of three government-to-government projects between Singapore and China. It was intended as a platform for both countries to explore collaborations, pilot ideas and share best practices in sustainable development.