广西南宁：46岁的新加坡销售总监Tracy Low来到南宁，寻找合作伙伴，以在中国分销她的公司所生产的咖啡。
NANNING, Guangxi: Singaporean sales director Tracy Low, 46, came to Nanning in search of a partner to distribute her company’s coffee in China.
该公司名为Kim’s Duet，销售新加坡风格的单份袋装咖啡，今年早些时候开始探索中国市场。
The company, Kim’s Duet, which sells Singapore-style coffee in single-serve sachets, began exploring the Chinese market earlier this year.
在9月17日至21日于南宁举行的中国—东盟博览会（CAEXPO）上，Low与多位潜在经销商进行了会面。
At the China-ASEAN Expo (CAEXPO) held in Nanning from Sep 17 to 21, Low met several potential distributors.
她说：“在正式合作之前，筛选这些经销商可能需要三到六个月的时间。”
“It could take between three to six months to filter these distributors before we engage them,” she said.
2026年9月17日，在位于中国南宁的第23届中国—东盟博览会上，Kim’s Duet咖啡公司的销售总监Tracy Low。
Tracy Low, sales director of Kim’s Duet coffee, at the 23rd China-ASEAN EXPO in Nanning, China on Sep 17, 2026.
超过50家来自新加坡的参展商参加了这场为期五天的活动，这一数字为2023年以来的最高纪录。其中一些企业是首次在此测试市场，而另一些企业则花费多年时间建立人脉，并将洽谈转化为商业合作。
More than 50 exhibitors from Singapore took part in the five-day event - the highest number since 2023. Some were testing the market for the first time while others had spent years building contacts and turning discussions into business deals.
对于许多希望在中国扩张业务的新加坡公司而言，南宁为它们提供了一个进入这个相对陌生市场的立足点。
For many Singaporean companies looking to expand in China, Nanning offers a foothold in a less familiar market.
广西省首府南宁近来备受关注，此前有52名新加坡人因涉嫌参与传销活动而被捕，而此前长期存在关于承诺异常高回报的投资项目的相关警告。
The capital of Guangxi has been in the spotlight after 52 Singaporeans were arrested over suspected involvement in pyramid-scheme activities amid longstanding warnings over investment pitches that promised unusually high returns.
新加坡企业联合会（SBF）表示，他们并未听说有公司在上述消息传出后对进入南宁表示担忧。
The Singapore Business Federation (SBF) said it was not aware of companies raising concerns about entering Nanning following the news.
国际业务执行总监Soo Wei-Chieh告诉新加坡通讯社（CNA），企业仍在提出一些常规问题，例如“市场准入、市场机遇以及如何进入市场”。
Businesses had still been asking the usual questions about “market access, market opportunities, and how they can enter a market”, executive director for international business Soo Wei-Chieh told CNA.
企业向CNA描述道，打入中国这个庞大的市场是一个缓慢的过程——可能需要花费数月甚至数年时间，才能找到合适的合作伙伴、测试合作关系，并评估这些机会能否真正转化为商业成果。一片“蓝海”新加坡教育公司KinderWorld国际集团的主席兼首席执行官陈德勇表示，当大多数新加坡人想到中国时，他们首先想到的往往是北京和上海这样的大城市。但陈德勇的目光则投向了更广阔的区域。
Businesses described to CNA a slow process of breaking into China’s massive market - one that can involve spending months or even years finding the right partners, testing relationships and assessing whether opportunities can turn into real business. A “BLUE OCEAN”When most Singaporeans think of China, they often think first of major cities like Beijing and Shanghai, said Tan Teck Yong, chairman and CEO of Singapore education company KinderWorld International Group. But Tan is looking further afield.
他表示，北京、上海、广州和深圳等一线城市属于“红海”，这是商业术语中用来形容市场拥挤且竞争激烈的说法。
First-tier cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen are a “red ocean”, Tan said, referring to a business term for crowded and competitive markets.
相比之下，广西地区则是一个“蓝海”——一个饱和度较低、更具增长空间的市场。
The Guangxi region, by contrast, is a “blue ocean”, he said - a less saturated market with more room for growth.
KinderWorld于2000年首次进入中国，随后又拓展至越南。对陈德勇而言，开拓新市场是公司更广泛战略的一部分。
KinderWorld first entered China in 2000 before expanding into Vietnam. For Tan, venturing into new markets is part of the company’s broader strategy.
他说：“我们是一家新加坡公司。我们的口号非常明确：走向国际。”
“We are a Singapore company. Our motto is very clear: internationalise,” he said.
2026年9月18日，KinderWorld国际集团主席兼首席执行官陈德勇在中国南宁举行的第23届中国-东盟博览会上。
Tan Teck Yong, Chairman and CEO of KinderWorld International Group at the 23rd China-ASEAN EXPO in Nanning, China on Sep 18, 2026.
自新冠疫情以来，陈德勇已三次出席在南宁举办的中国-东盟博览会（CAEXPO），并利用这一展会建立联系、会见官员，以及更深入地了解当地市场。他表示，这些访问成为探索广西机遇的长期过程的一部分。
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, Tan has attended CAEXPO in Nanning three times, using the fair to build connections, meet officials and gain a better understanding of the local market. Those visits became part of a longer process of exploring opportunities in Guangxi, he said.
将人脉转化为具体机会同样需要时间。在KinderWorld的广西计划初具雏形之前，陈德勇曾花费一年半的时间进行商谈。此后，该集团已与当地教育机构签署了协议。而新加坡政府也在努力推动更多企业采取类似行动。
Turning connections into concrete opportunities also takes time. Tan spent a year and a half in discussions before KinderWorld’s plans in Guangxi began to take shape. The group has since signed agreements with local education institutions. And the Singapore government has been trying to get more companies to do just that.
副总理兼贸易及工业部长甘金勇在3月的一次演讲中表示：“由于我们的国内经济规模较小，许多增长机会都存在于新加坡境外。”当时，政府正宣布将加大对本地企业海外拓展的支持力度。
“With our small domestic economy, many growth opportunities lie beyond Singapore’s shores,” Deputy Prime Minister and Trade and Industry Minister Gan Kim Yong said during a speech in March, as the government announced increased support for local firms venturing abroad.
高级部长李显龙也于5月访问了广西，以更深入地了解其在东盟与中国互联互通中的作用。新加坡外交部将这一地区描述为连接中国与东南亚的“关键门户”。
Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong also visited Guangxi in May to better understand its role in ASEAN-China connectivity, with MFA describing the region as a “key gateway” linking China with Southeast Asia.
但对于一些决定迈出这一步的企业而言，不熟悉的市场往往伴随着陡峭的学习曲线。
But for some businesses taking that step, unfamiliar markets can come with steep learning curves.
新加坡建筑材料公司Sixth Harmony Global的总监Wayne Eo在2024年参加首届CAEXPO之前，对南宁几乎一无所知。
Wayne Eo, director of Singapore building materials company Sixth Harmony Global, knew little about Nanning before attending his first CAEXPO back in 2024.
他曾以为南宁只是中国一座正在崛起的新兴二线城市，但当他发现那里有现代化的高楼大厦和购物中心时，感到非常惊讶。
He thought of it as an up-and-coming second-tier Chinese city but was surprised to discover modern high-rises and shopping malls.
他说，他在餐厅和街头小吃摊遇到的人“都非常真诚”，而当地的食物也需要一些时间才能适应。
People he met in restaurants and at street-food stalls were “all very earnest” and local food also took a bit of getting used to, he said.
“如果你不喜欢竹子……那你肯定会大吃一惊，”他开玩笑说，指的是当地人钟爱竹笋的习惯。
“If you aren’t a bamboo fan ... you will be really shocked,” he joked, referring to the local fondness for bamboo shoots.
从那以后，他不断重返南宁。通过CAEXPO，Sixth Harmony Global已将业务联系扩展至南宁以外的地区，如今还向广西南部其他地区以及广东的客户供货。“南宁是我们的切入点，”Eo说道。
He has kept coming back since. Through CAEXPO, Sixth Harmony has expanded its contacts beyond Nanning and now supplies customers elsewhere in Guangxi and also in Guangdong. “Nanning is the entry point for us,” Eo said.
2026年9月17日，第23届中国—东盟博览会在中国南宁举行。
The venue where the 23rd China-ASEAN EXPO was held in Nanning, China on Sep 17, 2026.
企业并未因金字塔骗局逮捕案而望而却步。广西首府的交通连接也在日益完善。就在本月，平陆运河正式开通，为南宁及中国西南部内陆其他地区提供了一条通往海洋的更短水路。
BUSINESSES UNDETERRED BY PYRAMID SCHEME ARRESTS Guangxi’s capital is also becoming better connected. Just this month, the Pinglu Canal opened giving Nanning and other parts of inland southwestern China a shorter water route to the sea.
然而，南宁作为连接中国与东南亚枢纽的作用日益凸显，也使其成为另一种截然不同商业机会的焦点。2026年9月19日，中国南宁武乡新区的住宅开发项目。
But its growing role as a link between China and Southeast Asia has also featured in pitches for a very different kind of opportunity. Residential developments in Wuxiang New Area in Nanning, China on Sep 19, 2026.
去年12月，40岁的新加坡网络安全从业者Zhang Fan回忆说，当时一位大学密友向他提出了一项投资计划。
Last December, Zhang Fan, a 40-year-old Singaporean working in cybersecurity, recalled being approached by a close university friend with an investment proposal.
对方告诉他，南宁正成为一个具有战略意义的地理枢纽，甚至可能在十年内成为“下一个上海”。
He was told that Nanning was becoming a strategic geographical link and could even become “the next Shanghai” within a decade.
他的朋友还主动提出带他游览城市，展示那些高楼大厦和开发项目，并称这些是南宁发展潜力的象征。
His friend had also offered to take him around the city to see its high-rises and development projects, presenting them as signs of the city’s potential.
他回忆说，这项投资计划给出的数据十分诱人：投资额高达4万至5万新元，而两年内有望获得超过100万新元的回报。但即便如此，这些内容也并未说明所推广的投资是否合法。张最终拒绝了这项提议，并表示这“听起来好得令人难以置信”。
The pitch came with eye-catching figures: an investment of as much as S$40,000 to S$50,000, he recalled - with the prospect of receiving more than S$1 million over two years. But all that said little about whether the investment being promoted was legitimate. Zhang ultimately turned down the proposal and said it “sounded too good to be true”.
然而，广西因涉嫌传销活动而发生的逮捕事件，并未阻止新加坡企业在该城市寻找机会。
News of the arrests over suspected pyramid scheme activities in Guangxi, however, has not deterred Singapore businesses looking for opportunities in the city.
“目前来看，没有任何影响，”KinderWorld国际集团的谭先生表示。“你看，我们来这里不是为了寻找资金，而是希望将我们的出口产品和教育项目引入广西和中国。”新加坡销售总监Low也持类似看法，她表示这一消息并未让她特别担忧，也没有对南宁产生负面印象。
“So far, no impact,” said KinderWorld International Group’s Tan. “Look, we are not here to look for money. We are here to bring our export, our education program into Guangxi and China.”Singaporean sales director Low similarly said that the news had not made her particularly concerned or given her a negative impression of Nanning.
她的公司之所以来到这里，是因为对中国的市场了解不多，只是想弄清楚自己的咖啡产品是否有市场。
Her company was there because it knew little about the Chinese market and had simply wanted to find out whether there was a place for its coffee.
2026年9月17日，新加坡-中国友谊之夜晚宴将在中国南宁的万豪酒店举行。
The Singapore-China Friendship Night dinner taking place at Marriott Hotel, Nanning, China on Sep 17, 2026.
第六和声全球公司（Sixth Harmony Global）的Eo表示，中国无疑是一个潜力巨大的市场，但进入这一市场也意味着必须学会以不同的方式开展业务。
NO SHORTCUTS For Eo of Sixth Harmony Global, China offers a vastly bigger potential market - but venturing into it has also meant learning to do business differently.
他说，在新加坡，企业可以相对直接地触达客户。而在中国，不同省份可能需要不同的经销商、联系人和运作方式。
In Singapore, companies can easily reach customers relatively directly, he said. In China, different provinces may require different distributors, contacts and ways of working, he added.
尽管如此，对于像他这样的小型新加坡公司而言，即使只占据极小的一部分市场也可能意义重大，Eo说道——但要获得这一部分市场仍需时间。
Still, for a small Singapore company like his, even capturing a tiny fraction could matter, Eo said - but getting that slice still takes time.
对于企业来说，这可能意味着在正式开展更多业务之前，需要花费超过半年的时间去了解潜在的合作伙伴。
For companies, it can mean spending more than half a year getting to know a potential partner before committing to more business.
因此，合作往往从小额交易开始——观察付款是否准时到账，并评估双方合作是否顺畅，Eo说道。
So it often starts with small transactions - watching whether payments arrive on time and gauging whether both sides work well together, Eo said.
“我们会建立某种形式的关系，并相互了解。然后，我们在这里和那里尝试开展一些业务，”他补充道。
“We build some form of relationship, and have an understanding of each other. Then we trial a little bit of business here and there,” he added.
2026年9月17日，在位于中国南宁的第23届中老泰博览会（China-ASEAN EXPO 2026）上，Sixth Harmony Global Pte Ltd公司总监Wayne Eo在公司展位前。这种做法大致上与律师的建议一致。
Wayne Eo, Director of Sixth Harmony Global Pte Ltd, at the company's booth at the 23rd China-ASEAN EXPO 2026 in Nanning, China on Sep 17, 2026. That approach broadly mirrors what lawyers recommend.
新加坡WongPartnership律师事务所中国业务合伙人Liang Weitan告诉新加坡通讯社（CNA），真正的项目和投资应当有明确的合作伙伴、适当的注册和合同，以及清晰的资金结构和实际的业务运营。
Liang Weitan, a partner in the China Practice at Singapore law firm WongPartnership, told CNA that genuine projects and investments should have identifiable partners, proper registrations and contracts - as well as clear funding structures and actual business operations.
“如果缺少其中任何一项，都应该引起进一步调查，”Liang表示。
“The absence of any of these should prompt further inquiry,” Liang said.
他还建议投资者核查中国公司的营业执照和注册信息，并采取其他预防措施，例如实地访问公司场所、审查合同，以及最重要的是，在转账之前明确项目究竟如何盈利。
He also advises investors to check a Chinese company’s business licence and registration - along with other precautions like visiting its premises, examining contracts and importantly, establishing how a project would actually make money before transferring funds.
新加坡大学技术与设计学院李光耀创新城市中心的研究助理教授Samuel Chng敦促新加坡人仔细审查投资机会。
Samuel Chng, a research assistant professor at the Lee Kuan Yew Centre for Innovative Cities at the Singapore University of Technology and Design, urged Singaporeans to scrutinise investment opportunities carefully.
Chng同时也是该中心城市心理学实验室的负责人。他表示，即便是“有前景的市场”也可能存在不靠谱的项目。他补充说，花时间并“寻求独立评估”也会有所帮助。
Even “promising market(s) can contain unsound ventures”, said Chng, who also heads the centre’s Urban Psychology Lab. Taking time and “seeking independent assessments” can also help, he added.
“明智的做法是停下来思考：有哪些证据支持某个特定的商业提案？它如何产生收入？其主张是否可以在不依赖推广方的情况下得到独立验证？” 2026年9月17日，在中国南宁举行的第23届中老泰博览会上，参观者们正在现场。
“It would be prudent to pause and ask what evidence supports a particular business proposition, how it generates revenue, and whether its claims can be checked independently of those promoting it.”Visitors at the 23rd China-ASEAN EXPO in Nanning, China on Sep 17, 2026.
KinderWorld International Group公司的Tan建议新加坡的小型企业保持“敏锐的观察力”，同时深入了解中国市场并寻找可靠的合作伙伴。
KinderWorld International Group’s Tan advises smaller Singapore companies to keep their “eyes and ears open” while learning more about the market in China and finding reliable partners.
Tan表示，一个良好的起点是参加由SBF等组织举办的贸易代表团活动，这些活动能让企业有机会与潜在的商业伙伴及政府代表会面。
A good way to start would be through trade missions organised by groups such as SBF, Tan said - where companies can meet potential business and government contacts.
但SBF强调，介绍并不等同于认可。“适合某人的方法未必总是适合所有人，”Soo说道。对Eo而言，这种谨慎并非回避陌生市场的理由。
But SBF stressed that an introduction is not an endorsement. “What works for one may not always work,” said Soo. For Eo, that caution is not a reason to shy away from an unfamiliar market.
他表示，市场总是存在“巨大市场的吸引力”，同时还有一个问题：“一个商人能有多大的冒险精神”。“关键永远在于迈出的第一步，”Eo说。
There is always “the lure of very big markets”, he said, as well as the question of “how adventurous a business person can be”. “It’s always about taking the first step,” Eo said.
“进入市场一到两年后，我们就能对实际情况有清晰把握。”2026年9月18日，中国南宁某公园的傍晚。
“One (to) two years in, then we get a good hold on what’s happening.”Evening at a park in Nanning, China on Sep 18, 2026.