Guest-of-Honour, Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong,
Minister for Trade and Industry, Mr Gan Kim Yong,
Ms Grace Fu, Minister for Sustainability and Environment,
Ms Josephine Teo, Minister for Communications and Information,
Senior Minister of State for Health and Manpower, Dr Koh Poh Koon,
Business China board members, trade association & chamber leaders, foreign representatives, Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,
Good evening!
1. First of all, let me warmly welcome all on-site guests at Business China’s 15th Anniversary Appreciation Ceremony. I would also like to specially thank our Guest-of-honour ESM Goh Chok Tong, our current Advisors Mr Gan Kim Yong and Ms Grace Fu, former Advisor Mr Lim Swee Say, former Board member and former Chief Executive Officer Ms Josephine Teo, current Board Member Dr Koh Poh Koon for taking time off their busy schedules to participate in the grand ceremony tonight.
2. On November 19, 2007, Business China was officially launched by Founding Prime Minister, Mr Lee Kuan Yew, witnessed by then Chinese Premier, Mr Wen Jiabao
3. At the launch ceremony that year, MM Lee said: “The objective of the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce & Industry is to encourage businessmen to better understand the language, culture, social and economic conditions of present day China.”
4. He said: “(Implementing) a bilingual policy is simple, but bicultural talents are hard to find.” He hopes that Singapore can cultivate a core team of bicultural talents. Ideally, these talents should possess three capabilities: first, fluency in the Chinese language, second, knowledge of China’s traditional culture, and third, an understanding of the on-going changes in the social, economic and political conditions of a society transitioning from an agricultural to an industrial economy.
5. MM Lee said, “Even when China, which is increasingly powerful, rises as a dominant world power in 50 or 60 years, Singapore will still have a role to play to remain a useful ally to this powerful nation.”
6. Recalling MM Lee’s words, we realize his foresight. His thoughts were always on Singapore’s future, and how it could play an active role in the rising Chinese economy. It also helps us understand his hopes for Business China. The purpose of establishing Business China was to “create a bilingual and bicultural exchange platform, with Chinese language as the main communication medium, so as to create a group of bilingual and bicultural mainstays, and to build a cultural and economic bridge with China”.
7. Over the past 15 years, under the careful guidance of our ministerial advisors, Business China’s board of directors and executive team have worked very hard to carry out the founding purpose and realise the founding goals.
8. From the very beginning, Business China is aware that it is not easy to equip Singaporeans with the three capabilities that MM Lee spelt out: bilingualism, biculturalism, and “Chinese Quotient”. We must cooperate with Trade Associations and Chambers, academia, and government agencies in the established social, linguistic, and cognitive fields to create new learning opportunities and exchange platforms, improve the standard of bilingualism-biculturalism and “Chinese Quotient”, and nurture more “Singapore-China savvy talents”.
9. For 15 years, Business China has always been exploring the most effective channels and methods to catalyse the use of Chinese language among Singaporeans. We created more platforms, including forums of varying scales, sharing sessions, seminars, etc., so that each level of society, including students, youths, senior executives, business leaders, etc.; is accustomed to communicate in the Chinese language at international settings and business forums. This is to help youths recognise the usefulness, importance of being bilingual and bicultural, and the competitive advantage that it gives them.
10. This is the reason why Business China has organised the annual “FutureChina Global Forum” since 2010. We position this forum as the highest-level Mandarin-medium economic forum in Singapore, convening leaders and experts from the government, business, academia and media to share their views on international relations, China’s development, and regional cooperation between Singapore and China.
11. We also launched the Business China Awards in 2010. Over the past ten editions, we honoured 30 enterprises (organisations), individuals and youth from Singapore and China. In their respective fields, they made outstanding contributions to promoting Singapore-China relations, elevating Singaporeans’ enthusiasm for learning and appreciation of bilingualism and biculturalism, and mutual understanding between Singapore and China.
12. Apart from such large-scale events, Business China organises dozens of small events every year, providing relevant, interesting and contemporary exchanges and dialogue sessions for our various groups of members. For instance: “Business China Youth Series” for the youths, “FutureChina Global Business Series” for enterprises, “Distinguished Leaders Dialogue Series” for our Prominent Business Leaders (PBL) and senior executives, and “Decoding China’s Two Sessions” for the general public.
13. Focusing on cultivating the younger generation to become bilingual and bicultural talents is one of the important tasks of Business China. Since 2012, Business China has run the annual “Advanced Leader Programme”. Every cohort will spend a total duration of three months attending classes in Singapore; and in addition, under the leadership of a minister, they would travel to and visit Chinese cities and enterprises to learn about China’s economic development strategy. To date, we have trained 180 young executives from the government sector, Temasek-linked companies, multinational corporations (MNCs) and family businesses. We hope that this “Alumni network” will exert its strengths in their respective fields, expand connections, and continue to contribute to the friendly cooperation between Singapore and China.
14. Since the Business China’s establishment in 2007, sweeping changes have taken place in the world order, global context, China’s development, and the progress in Southeast Asia and Singapore. As the scale of China’s economy continues to expand, China and Southeast Asia’s regional economies integrate, trade and investment between Singapore and China increases, the level of cooperation between Singapore and China deepens, and people’s interactions and cross-country visits surge, I personally feel that overall, Singapore society now has a better understanding of China.
15. However, times have changed and the present is not what it used to be. The backdrop that Business China was founded in 15 years ago is quite different from that in 2022 today. The content Business China’s events and programme format must keep pace with the times and continue to be innovative. For example, we are all concerned about the Chinese proficiency of the younger generation; whether it has reached the required or ideal level? And how can we help them learn better to grasp the complex dynamic factors in China’s rapid development? We still believe that the best way is to study or work in China; or live there for an extended period of time, to immerse in the environment and atmosphere there.
16. Thus, in 2019, Singapore and China signed the Youth Interns Exchange Scheme (YES). Led by Singapore’s Ministry of Education and implemented by Business China, the scheme allows 500 university students and fresh graduates from the two countries to undertake internships for up to six months in each other’s country. Although the pandemic prevented us from implementing this plan fully, we initiated “remote internship” to maintain graduates’ interest in learning about China.
17. Looking ahead, Business China still has many challenging tasks. These include, how to keep closer tabs on China’s technological development and the trajectory of emerging industries; create even more platforms for learning and exchange, so that Singapore enterprises can partake, in a timely manner, in China’s rapid developing high-tech, clean energy; green and digital economy.
18. We must also better assist new immigrants to integrate into the mainstream of Singapore’s economy, strengthen the “business bridge” that links Singapore and China, and encourage Chinese and Singaporean enterprises in greater joint ventures to serve and reach out to the Southeast Asian and Asia-Pacific market, in order to have an injection in and boost the competitiveness of Singapore’s economy.
19. Over the past two years, because of the pandemic, we were not able to hold many of our scheduled events physically. Despite the limitations from Safe Management Measures, Business China has spared no effort to continue to create value for its members. For example, we held a total of about 90 events last year (2021). The team harnessed technology and gathered experts from Singapore and China, Asia, and even the United States and Europe to participate in our forums and conferences using hybrid attendance measures.
20. We also successfully held the inaugural “Business China Fundraising Golf Tournament” last November, successfully raising SGD 1.3 million. On behalf of the board of directors, I would like to express my gratitude to the dedicated team led by CEO Pei Ling for persevering in difficult times; with a tenacious work attitude and rich imagination, they worked hard to complete the task well and successfully attained the target.
21. The achievements of Business China in the past 15 years can be attributed to the care of our patrons, MM Lee and PM Lee, the guidance from ministerial advisors, the dedication of the board of directors, and strategic partners, including the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCCI), Lianhe Zaobao, government ministries, the Tote Board and many other delegates who are here tonight, and the institutions they represent; for their precious and long-term support, sponsorship and cooperation. On behalf of all my colleagues in Business China, I thank you sincerely.
22. Finally, let me once again thank our Guest-of-Honour Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong; and the ministers and guests who took precious time from their busy schedules to join us tonight. Before the panel discussion, please watch a photo montage that looks back on all that Business China has gone through – from 2007 to today. Thank you for the unwavering support that you’ve shown to Business China over our 15 years. Thank you!