Toast Speech by President Tony Tan at the Official Dinner hosted by Polish President Andrzej Duda

Your Excellency Andrzej Duda 
President of the Republic of Poland

Mrs Agata Kornhauser-Duda 

Excellencies

Distinguished Guests

I am honoured to be the first Singapore President to make a State Visit to the beautiful country of Poland. I would like to thank President Duda for the warm hospitality extended to me, my wife and the Singapore delegation. 

Ties between Singapore and Poland are warm and long-standing.  Our two countries celebrate 48 years of diplomatic relations this year, but our ties go back further.  Singapore’s founding Prime Minister, the late Mr Lee Kuan Yew, visited Poland in May 1966 as part of a Goodwill Mission to Eastern Europe, shortly after Singapore attained independence in 1965.  Poland extended a hand of friendship.  In fact, some Poles contributed directly to Singapore’s nation-building, including architect Mr Krystyn  Olszweski, an urban and town planner who was the Chief Designer of the team that developed the first Concept Plan for Singapore in 1971.  

Much earlier, the renowned Polish-born novelist Joseph Conrad visited Singapore eight times between 1887 and 1888 and wrote about Singapore in several of his novels, offering a window into 19th-century Singapore.  Today, a commemorative plaque outside The Fullerton Hotel in Singapore marks his stay.

While Singapore and Poland are different in size and history, and are located far apart, the two countries share some commonalities.  Both countries are located at the hearts of our respective regions. Singapore is situated along the key trading route between the East and West while Poland is at the nexus of the Adriatic, Baltic and Black Seas.  As open, outward-looking economies, Singapore and Poland share a common disposition – both our countries place high importance on free trade and investment.  

Our two countries also have common interests in entrepreneurship, innovation and technology.

I am heartened that both our governments and parliaments have regular exchanges.  Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong visited Poland in 2013. He and Poland Prime Minister Beata Sydzło met in Ulaanbaatar on the sidelines of the Asia-Europe Summit last July.  The Singapore-Poland Parliamentary Friendship Group from Warsaw has made several visits to Singapore since their formation in 2009 to strengthen parliamentary ties.  Singapore appreciates the presence of the former Chairman of the Group, Mr Andzrej Jaworski, who represented Poland at the State Funeral of Mr Lee Kuan Yew in 2015
    
I am pleased to see the growing economic cooperation between Singapore and Poland.  Bilateral trade between the two countries has been steadily expanding, reaching over S$962.1 million in 2016 which was more than double from ten years ago.  There is considerable potential for growth.  Many Singapore companies are interested in opportunities in Poland, and I am glad that some of them have accompanied me on this State Visit as part of a business delegation. 

I am confident that the Poland-Singapore Business Forum, which I jointly opened with President Duda earlier today, will facilitate discussions and kick-start collaborations between these Singapore companies and their Polish counterparts.  I am also certain that the two Memoranda of Understanding signed today between the Polish Investment and Trade Agency (PAIH) and International Enterprise Singapore and the Singapore Business Federation will further strengthen business ties.  And when the EU-Singapore Free Trade Agreement is ratified, I am sure that the economic ties between Singapore and Poland will deepen even further, allowing Poland to use Singapore as a platform to engage the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). 

I am also pleased to note that research institutions in both Singapore and Poland are stepping up collaborations.  Research links between the two countries started in 2005 when Singapore’s Agency for Science Technology and Research (A*STAR) signed an MOU with Poland’s Ministry of Science and Higher Education.  Singapore now has several acclaimed Polish scientists and researchers based in our institutions.  Earlier today, President Duda and I witnessed the signing of an update of this MOU which will facilitate further exchanges and talent development.  I am confident that this update of the MOU will further strengthen the research cooperation between Singapore and Poland.

Underpinning the bilateral ties between Singapore and Poland are strong people-to-people ties.  Poland is a popular destination for Singapore undergraduates on exchange programmes.  Singapore currently has 30 students from NUS and SMU on exchange in Poland at the Kozminski University, University of Economics in Katowice and the Warsaw School of Economics.  I met some of them yesterday and was glad to hear how they are enjoying their stay in Poland.  

In turn, Singapore universities played host to 30 Polish students last year, in faculties such as business and accountancy.  I am also pleased to note that one of Singapore’s young conductors, Mr Lien Boon Hua, is a resident in Katowice and the assistant conductor at the Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra.  These friendships forged between our youths will stand us in good stead for even closer ties between Singapore and Poland in the future.

Your Excellency
Distinguished Guests
Ladies and Gentlemen

May I now invite you to rise and join me in a toast:

o    To the continued good health and success of his Excellency President Andrzej Duda and Mrs Agata Kornhauser-Duda;
o    To the peace and prosperity of the people of Poland; and
o    To the future of the excellent relations between Poland and Singapore.

Sto Lat! 

Thank you.