Singapore firms most keen to invest in China

There was a 50% increase in interest for executing projects in the booming Asian nation since 2009.

Other hotspots for expansion and investment are in developing regions, namely Indonesia, Vietnam and the United Arab Emirates, according to the latest 2011 data from International Enterprise (IE) Singapore.

This reveals a continuing trend of internationalisation for Singapore firms, 34,400 of which inquired about launching overseas projects.

"As the agency driving Singapore's external economy, IE Singapore witnessed continued interest in internationalisation in 2011. More than 34,400 companies, including many SMEs, approached IE Singapore for help in understanding overseas markets, connecting to the right business partners and developing capabilities. S$926 million of financing loans, and S$60.2 million of grants were disbursed to over 5,500 companies under various schemes and programmes administered by IE Singapore," said the government agency in a release.

"In addition, through a global network of over 35 locations, IE Singapore provided inmarket facilitation services, such as identification of business opportunities and coordination with overseas government agencies, multipliers and business partners. In 2011, IE assisted companies on 336 overseas projects, with two-thirds taking place in developing regions such as Indonesia, Vietnam and United Arab Emirates. China saw the most interest, accounting for 104 overseas projects, a 50% increase since 2009," it added.