Cooperation in intellectual property, talent training, professional services exchanges and smart city planning can strengthen ties between China and Singapore in building cooperative projects, said experts and entrepreneurs from both countries.

They made the remarks at the seventh China-Singapore Knowledge Forum Monday in Guangzhou, capital of South China's Guangdong province, to tap into opportunities arising from Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. The experts suggested consolidating resources and advantages.

The governments of China and Singapore have jointly developed a knowledge city, with a planned area of 178 square kilometers, in northeastern Guangzhou. Joint development began in 2010, and the knowledge city is a place where technologies, funding and talent meet.

Lee Yi Shyan, chairman of Business China, a Singaporean non governmental non profit organization that promotes bilateral relations with China, advised the China-Singapore Guangzhou Knowledge City to increase its technological input, accelerate commercialization of technological achievements and encourage cooperation among the scientific research institutes, scholars and enterprises to create new value and jobs.

As a former minister of Singapore, Lee noted the importance of IP protection and a sound legal system for IP.

He also suggested the knowledge city be introduced to professional organizations in sectors such as finance, accounting, law, marketing and human resources and train talent with a global vision.

The two governments just signed an intern exchange program that allows young people in China and Singapore to learn cultural and business opportunities from each other. Lee said such a program can also contribute to talent reservation for both countries.

Pointing out that CSGKC has attached much importance to innovation, Freddy Boey, vice-president of the National University of Singapore, reiterated that innovation must be safeguarded by a world-leading system of IP protection, which can nurture the world-leading innovation environment in return.

As a national pilot zone for intellectual property applications and protection, CSGKC is providing comprehensive services to protect the achievements of companies and facilitate their patent applications.

According to the official statistics, more than 180 IP-related organizations, including the patent examination and cooperation center of National Intellectual Property Administration and IP protection center, were set up in CSGKC to provide one-stop services for the companies.

"The Bay Area cities and Singapore can forge partnership in digitalization and the Bay Area cities are complementary with Singapore in terms of smart cities, venture capital and industrial incubation," said Peng Bo, senior vice-president of Huawei Technologies.

He said Singapore is still leading the cities in the Greater Bay Area in globalized professionals and their experience.