Press Release | First Interoperable Trade Digitalisation Pilot between China, Singapore and Middle East completed

Beijing Two-Zone Office and Singapore’s Infocomm Media Development Authority Drive the Launch of First China-Singapore-Middle East End-to-End Interoperable Trade Digitalisation Pilot

The first end-to-end interoperable trade digitalisation pilot between China, Singapore, and the Middle East, jointly promoted by the Office of the Leading Group for the Work of the China (Beijing) Pilot Free Trade Zone and the Integrated National Demonstration Zone for Opening up the Services Sector (referred to as the "Beijing Two-Zone Office") and Singapore’s Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA), was successfully completed on 11 March, 2025.

The pilot, implemented by Minimax (Beijing) Fire Fighting System Co.,Ltd., entrusted Singapore shipping company Pacific International Lines (PIL) to transport a firefighting equipment container by sea from Shanghai Port to Dammam/Jeddah Port in Saudi Arabia and then by land to Minimax’s project location in Jazan. The pilot was supported by AEOTrade, which initiated blockchain technology through a trusted trade cooperation network (AEOTradeChain) and IMDA’s TradeTrust framework, to enable the issuance of electronic bills of lading (eBLs) by PIL.

The pilot focused on two core innovations in the “electronic transferable document” process: First, the development of a “blockchain-based certification + dual-platform verification” mechanism, which recorded the data hash values of 11 key points in the process of issuing, transferring, and clearing eBLs on the block chain; second, the introduction of the “China-Singapore Cooperation + Middle East Application Scenario” integration model, which enabled the cross-border connectivity and secure sharing of 28 trade data items.

According to participating companies, the pilot demonstrated that the use of transferable documents like eBLs supported by a distributed system improved the efficiency of cargo rights transfer by 80% (from 5-7 days to real-time delivery) and increased logistics traceability by 65%. The cross-border digital collaboration system also reduced compliance costs by 40% (saving approximately USD$120 per order), shortened the eBL circulation time from the traditional 7 days to 8 hours, and achieved 100% visibility in goods-in-transit management, while improving customs clearance efficiency by 60%. This pilot has enjoyed strong support from Beijing’s Fengtai District government, which is also a trade facilitation demonstration project in Fengtai, marking an important step forward in the District’s trade facilitation effort.

 In recent years, international trade between Belt and Road countries, particularly China, Singapore, and the Middle East, has flourished. The successful implementation of this pilot provides a model for promoting international trade digitalisation and cooperation among Belt and Road countries. Moving forward, the Beijing Two-Zone Office and Singapore’s IMDA will continue to collaborate with all parties to expand digital trade applications, deepen cooperation with other Belt and Road countries in the digital economy, and help build a more efficient and convenient international trade environment.

This press release was published by Beijing Two-Zone Office.