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Poland–Singapore relations

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Poland–Singapore relations
Map indicating locations of Poland and Singapore

Poland
Singapore

Poland–Singapore relations are bilateral relations between Poland and Singapore. Both nations are full members of the World Trade Organization and the United Nations.

History

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An honorary consulate of Poland was located in Singapore from 1935 to 1939.[1]

Relations between the two countries predated the establishment of formal diplomatic ties. In 1966, Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew visited Poland as part of a goodwill mission to Eastern Europe and met Polish Prime Minister Józef Cyrankiewicz. Polish architect and urban planner Krystyn Olszewski later served as chief designer of Singapore's first Concept Plan in 1971. Elements of the plan included the development of satellite towns around the central water catchment and the eventual relocation of Singapore's international airport to Changi.[2][3]

Following the Proclamation of Singapore, bilateral diplomatic relations were established in April 1969. Poland subsequently established a resident diplomatic presence in Singapore, with the Polish ambassador based there since 2004.[4]

Prime Ministers Lee Hsien Loong and Mateusz Morawiecki during the 12th Asia–Europe Meeting summit in Brussels in 2018

Bilateral Agreements

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Poland and Singapore signed an agreement on the promotion and protection of investments on 3 June 1993, which entered into force on 29 December 1993. A revised agreement for the avoidance of double taxation was signed in Singapore on 4 November 2012 and entered into force on 6 February 2014, replacing the earlier tax agreement between the two countries..[5][6][7][8]

High-level visits

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Singaporean President Tony Tan made a state visit to Poland from 21 to 23 May 2017, the first state visit to Poland by a Singaporean head of state. During the visit, Tan and Polish President Andrzej Duda witnessed the signing of three memoranda of understanding covering economic cooperation and scientific research and jointly opened a Poland–Singapore Business Forum.[9]

In September 2024, Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski visited Singapore during the 55th anniversary year of diplomatic relations. He met Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan and Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean, with discussions covering economic cooperation, food security, security issues and international affairs.[10][11]

President Andrzej Duda made a state visit to Singapore from 11 to 13 June 2025, becoming the first Polish president to visit Singapore in more than 20 years. Duda met President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, with discussions covering port and logistics development, agri-food trade, sustainable energy, digitalisation, research and education.[12]

High-level visits from Poland to Singapore

High-level visits from Singapore to Poland

Economic Relations

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In 2024, Singaporean goods exports to Poland reached a value of approximately €802 million, while Polish goods exports to Singapore reached a value of approximately €377 million.[18] Since 2010, trade in goods between the two countries reached its highest value in 2015, when Singaporean exports to Poland reached €928 million, while Polish exports to Singapore reached €788 million.[18]

Since 2013, Polish exports of services to Singapore have significantly exceeded Singaporean exports of services to Poland.[19] In 2022, the value of Polish exports of services to Singapore amounted to approximately €633.4 million, while the value of Singaporean exports of services to Poland amounted to approximately €316.0 million.[19]

Economic ties expanded following the entry into force of the European Union–Singapore Free Trade Agreement in 2019. By 2024, bilateral trade in goods had increased by approximately 50 per cent compared with 2019, reaching nearly S$1.7 billion. Trade in services reached nearly S$700 million in 2023. Around 170 Polish companies were operating in Singapore by 2025.[20]

Singaporean investment in Poland has included transport and logistics infrastructure. In 2019, PSA International invested in the Deepwater Container Terminal in Gdańsk, now known as Baltic Hub, alongside the Polish Development Fund and IFM Global Infrastructure Fund. PSA subsequently invested in Polish intermodal operator Loconi in 2024.[21]

Diplomatic missions

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Wisma Atria, the building hosting the Embassy of Poland in Singapore
Building hosting the Honorary Consulate of Singapore in Warsaw
  • Poland has an embassy in Singapore.
  • Singapore has a non resident ambassador in Singapore.[22] There is an honorary consulate of Singapore in Warsaw.[23][24]

See also

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References

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  1. ↑ Ceranka, Paweł; Szczepanik, Krzysztof (2020). Urzędy konsularne Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej 1918–1945. Informator archiwalny (in Polish). Warszawa: Naczelna Dyrekcja Archiwów Państwowych, Ministerstwo Spraw Zagranicznych. p. 358. ISBN 978-83-65681-93-5.
  2. ↑ "Transcript of Speech by President Tharman Shanmugaratnam at the State Banquet in honour of Polish President Andrzej Duda on 12 June 2025 at Goodwood Park Hotel". The Istana. Retrieved 2026-08-28.
  3. ↑ Reporter, Staff (2025-06-16). "Singapore reaffirms Poland relations with expanded trade, culture | Singapore Business Review". sbr.com.sg. Retrieved 2026-08-28.
  4. ↑ "Singapore - Poland in Singapore - Gov.pl website". Poland in Singapore. Retrieved 2026-08-28.
  5. ↑ Umowa między Rządem Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej a Rządem Republiki Singapuru w sprawie unikania podwójnego opodatkowania i zapobiegania uchylaniu się od opodatkowania w zakresie podatków od dochodu, sporządzona w Singapurze dnia 23 kwietnia 1993 r., Dz. U., 1994, vol. 38, No. 139
  6. ↑ Umowa między Rządem Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej a Rządem Republiki Singapuru o ochronie i popieraniu inwestycji, sporządzona w Warszawie dnia 3 czerwca 1993 r., Dz. U., 1994, vol. 57, No. 237
  7. ↑ Poland - Singapore BIT (1993) | International Investment Agreements Navigator | UNCTAD Investment Policy Hub
  8. ↑ "Tax Agreements with Poland and Austria Enter into Force". Ministry of Finance (MOF). Retrieved 2026-08-28.
  9. ↑ "MFA Press Statement: State Visits by President Tony Tan Keng Yam to the Republic of Poland and the Czech Republic from 21 to 27 May 2017". Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Retrieved 2026-08-28.
  10. ↑ "Official Visit of Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland Radosław Sikorski, 2 to 3 September 2024". Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Retrieved 2026-08-28.
  11. ↑ "Sikorski meets Singapore FM on Asia". www.pap.pl. Retrieved 2026-08-28.
  12. ↑ "Polish President Duda concludes state visit to Singapore to reaffirm bilateral and business ties". CNA. Retrieved 2026-08-28.
  13. ↑ "Official visit of the President of Poland and his spouse to Singapore". 23 February 2004. Retrieved 25 December 2025.
  14. ↑ "Wizyta premiera Tuska w Singapurze". Interia (in Polish). 4 November 2012. Retrieved 25 December 2025.
  15. ↑ "Oficjalna wizyta Prezydenta Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej i Małżonki w Singapurze". Portal Gov.pl (in Polish). 13 June 2025. Retrieved 25 December 2025.
  16. ↑ "Polska chce współpracować z Singapurem". Wprost (in Polish). 2 November 2013. Retrieved 25 December 2025.
  17. ↑ "Prezydent: we współpracy z Singapurem drzemie ogromny potencjał". Polskie Radio 24 (in Polish). 22 May 2017. Retrieved 25 December 2025.
  18. 1 2 Singapur. Charakterystyka wymiany handlowej (PDF) (in Polish). Ministerstwo Rozwoju i Technologii. 2025. p. 46.
  19. 1 2 Singapur. Charakterystyka wymiany handlowej (PDF) (in Polish). Ministerstwo Rozwoju i Technologii. 2025. p. 57.
  20. ↑ "Poland-Singapore Business Forum - Ms Grace Fu". Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment. Retrieved 2026-08-28.
  21. ↑ "Transcript of Speech by President Tharman Shanmugaratnam at the State Banquet in honour of Polish President Andrzej Duda on 12 June 2025 at Goodwood Park Hotel". The Istana. Retrieved 2026-08-28.
  22. ↑ "MFA Press Statement: Appointments of Singapore's Non-Resident Ambassador to the Republic of Poland, Singapore's Non-Resident Ambassador to the Italian Republic and Singapore's Non-Resident High Commissioner to the Republic of Maldives". Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Retrieved 2026-08-28.
  23. ↑ "Honorary Consulate of the Republic of Singapore in Warsaw". Retrieved 25 December 2025.
  24. ↑ "Appointment of the Singapore Honorary Consul in Warsaw, The Republic of Poland, 5 May 2024". Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Retrieved 2026-08-28.
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