Why Singapore Is Central to China’s Global Strategy

As of early 2026, Chinese companies are increasingly basing operations in Singapore, with their share of fixed-asset investment commitments rising to 20.6% in 2025. Driven by trade tensions and the need to serve Southeast Asia, firms are setting up regional headquarters, AI labs, and R&D centers in the city-state. Companies like ByteDance, Tencent, Alibaba and Shein are using Singapore to access capital, talent and fast-growing regional markets. The shift reflects a broader evolution from “China Plus One” to a more complex “China Plus Many” strategy — where supply chains are spread across Asia, but coordinated from a central hub. Singapore has emerged as that hub: a strategic node connecting China to markets like Vietnam and Malaysia, and serving as a base for finance, logistics and regional expansion. #CNBC #OnTheRoadToConverge ----- Subscribe: @cnbci CNBC International Live: @cnbcinternationalive LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/cnbc-international/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cnbci Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cnbcinternational Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cnbcinternational/ Threads: https://www.threads.net/@cnbcinternational X: https://twitter.com/CNBCi Telegram: https://t.me/cnbci WhatsApp: https://bit.ly/CNBCiWhatsApp