On July 28, 2024, the inaugural meeting of the China-Singapore Underground Space and Urban Sustainable Innovation Industry Alliance was grandly held at the Jiangdao Science and Innovation Center on Singapore·Nanjing Eco-Science and Technology Island. Attendees included Lu Hong, Deputy Director of the Management Committee of the Nanjing Jiangxinzhou Eco-Science and Technology Development Zone in Jiangsu; Huang Fumin, Chairman of the Jiangsu Society for Underground Space; Zhou Yingxin, Academician of the Singapore Academy of Engineering and Chairman of the Asian Region of the Associated Research Centers for Urban Underground Space (ACUUS); Chu Jian, Academician of the Singapore Academy of Engineering and Dean of the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore; Su Zhiqiang, Academician of the Singapore Academy of Engineering and Distinguished Professor at Southeast University; Bai Yun, Managing Director of Shanghai Lingyun Civil Engineering Consulting Co., Ltd.; and representatives from alliance member organizations. The meeting was chaired by Wu Wei, Chairman of the Singapore Society for Rock Mechanics and Engineering Geology and Associate Professor at the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.

Wu Wei, Associate Professor at the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.

At the beginning of the meeting, Deputy Director Lu Hong delivered a speech, introducing the development plan, policy advantages, and future vision of Singapore Nanjing Eco-Science and Technology Island. He expressed his full support for the development of the China-Singapore Underground Space and Urban Sustainable Innovation Industry Alliance, pledging to provide high-quality services and guarantees for the alliance.

Lu Hong, Deputy Director of the Management Committee of the Nanjing Jiangxinzhou Eco-Science and Technology Development Zone, Jiangsu.

Subsequently, Chairman Huang Fumin, on behalf of the alliance’s preparatory group, presented a comprehensive preparatory work report to the assembly. The alliance is committed to leveraging the advantages of both China and Singapore in resource integration, talent aggregation, and industry incubation to create a globally leading platform for scientific research and innovation in underground space and urban sustainability, as well as a hub for talent and industrial convergence. It aims to establish a regular interactive cooperation platform between the governments of China and Singapore, between governments and enterprises, and among alliance members. With the alliance secretariat located on the Singapore Nanjing Eco-Science and Technology Island, it will host academic forums and industry roadshows in both countries, attract talent from China and Singapore, build a think tank in the field of underground space and urban sustainability, and jointly organize international training, seminars, exhibitions, competitions, and other activities, including the creation of an “Underground Space Science Museum.” The alliance will closely align with the Belt and Road Initiative to promote in-depth cooperation between China and Singapore in the field of underground space, jointly explore international markets, facilitate the global dissemination and application of underground space technologies, and advance the standardization, intelligence, and green development of the underground space industry, contributing to the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.

Huang Fumin, Chairman of the Jiangsu Society for Underground Space.

During the meeting, all members voted to adopt the alliance’s charter and elected the first council members and leadership. Huang Fumin, Chairman of the Jiangsu Society for Underground Space, was elected as the alliance’s Chairman. Yi Rong, President and Party Committee Secretary of the Mineral Resources Research Institute under the China Metallurgical Geology Bureau, and Ni Yongfu, Executive Director of Samwoh Corporation Pte. Ltd., were elected as Vice Chairmen. Wu Wei, Chairman of the Singapore Society for Rock Mechanics and Engineering Geology and Associate Professor at the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, was elected as the alliance’s Secretary-General.

The alliance specially appointed the following individuals as advisors: Zhu Hehua, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and Distinguished Professor at Tongji University; Zhou Yingxin, Academician of the Singapore Academy of Engineering and Chairman of the Asian Region of the Associated Research Centers for Urban Underground Space (ACUUS); Su Zhiqiang, Academician of the Singapore Academy of Engineering and Distinguished Professor at Southeast University; Chu Jian, Academician of the Singapore Academy of Engineering and Dean of the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore; Ma Guowei, Vice President and Professor of Hebei University of Technology; and Bai Yun, Managing Director of Shanghai Lingyun Civil Engineering Consulting Co., Ltd.

The meeting also convened the first working session of the inaugural council, which was chaired by Huang Jun, the alliance’s Executive Deputy Secretary-General. Participants engaged in in-depth discussions on the future development of the alliance. Following the meeting, attendees jointly visited the Underground Space Science Museum.

联盟常务副秘书长黄俊

The establishment of the China-Singapore Underground Space and Urban Sustainable Innovation Industry Alliance has not only created a new platform for cooperation between China and Singapore in the fields of underground space development and urban construction but has also infused fresh momentum into the innovation and development of the global underground space industry. In the future, the alliance will further expand its network by inviting experts and enterprises from more countries and regions to join. By collaborating with underground space institutions and international organizations worldwide, it aims to become an internationally influential platform for innovation in underground space and urban sustainability.

To popularize underground space knowledge, enhance public awareness of this field, showcase domestic and international achievements in underground space development, and drive the growth of emerging industries and economic progress in areas such as digital innovation, ecological technology, and low-carbon intelligence through the underground space industry cluster, the Jiangsu Society for Underground Space has taken the lead in initiating the establishment of the “Underground Space Science Museum.” As China’s first comprehensive science museum dedicated to underground space, it focuses on showcasing popular science content, including the historical development of underground spaces worldwide, typical case studies, resource exploration and utilization, construction and maintenance, as well as future trends and prospects.

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