Singapore's highly permeable pro-business market (ranked most competitive globally by the world Economic Forum) is often regarded as the bellwether of the global economy.
The U.S., Japan and Australia unveiled the Blue Dot Network at a summit in Bangkok earlier this month. The initiative is not intended to be a financing pipeline.
In Greece, in Egypt and in France, top Chinese officials promoted the Belt and Road Initiative this week, defying U.S. skepticism toward the infrastructure-building program, and making clear their intent to expand its footprint in Europe.
Australia joined the United States and Japan in announcing the Blue Dot Network this week, a scheme some observers have billed as a rival to China's Belt and Road Initiative.
The Chinese vice minister of commerce announced that the country would establish new pilot project Free Trade Zones (FTZs) in six provinces across the country.